The idea of justice in Augustine's criticism of Manicheism.
Date
1991
Authors
Grier Smith, David Edward.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Dalhousie University
Abstract
Description
Having been a Manichee himself for nine years, Augustine of Hippo wrote extensively against the Manichees after his conversion to catholic Christianity. Part of his anti-Manichean writings were a defence of the morality of the Old Testament narratives against the Manichean criticisms of them. In particular, Augustin addressed Manichean criticisms about the polygamy of the Old Testament patriarchs and the divinely sanctioned killing in the Old Testament. This thesis seeks to show that in two of Augustine's works, the Confessions and the Contra Faustum, Augustine sets forth a comprehensive idea of justice, according to which he defends the Old Testament narratives. This conception of justice has three main divisions, which Augustine characterizes as three "wholes": justice according to the whole of nature, justice according to the whole of custom, and justice according to the Eternal Law of God's rule. Furthermore, in both of these works. Augustine maintains that according to a true idea of justice, the Manichean position itself is unjust. Augustine's account of Manicheism has a positive aspect, in that he shows through his treatment of Manicheism, the active and passive elements that belong to contemplation. Nevertheless, Augustine portrays Manicheism as being the product of an unjust form of contemplation, in which these active and passive elements are not properly related.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dalhousie University (Canada), 1991.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dalhousie University (Canada), 1991.
Keywords
Literature, Medieval., Religion, History of., Religion, Biblical Studies., Religion, Philosophy of.