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Title: Augustine: On Christian Doctrine
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Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
List Price: $13.00
Our Price: $10.70
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| Customer Reviews: |
| Augustine: On Christian Doctrine by Prentice Hall Augustine's Hermeneutics |
One author has said that Augustine can be "easier to read than many modern books about him." Nowhere in his writings have I found this to be more true than "On Christian Doctrine." This little text was so compelling that I literally could not put it down (though that may reveal more about me than it). It essentially outlines Augustine's program of Hermeneutics which often contrasts strongly with standard methods of the periods before and after him, while remaining reminiscent of both eras. Some particular points of interest:
-He insists that the author's intent should be the arbiter of meaning unless the text seems to be in contrast to what is clearly taught throughout scripture, at which point allegory is to be employed
-He suggests that mistaken interpretation of a particular passage is not too grievous an error as long as the interpretation remains true to the general testimony of Scripture
-He suggests that interpretation is difficult but that the best way to progress is to read and memorize as much of it as possible until it is intimately familiar
-There is a theologically interesting chapter in which he uses the passage about the bread as Christ's body as an example of the sort of passage that cannot be taken literally
A 1700 year old text obviously isn't going to work as a contemporary manual of interpretation, but for its value in historical theology, understanding the development of Biblical interpretation and insight into the mind of one of the Christianity's greatest pastoral minds this is well worth the money and 100 or so pages.
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| Augustine: On Christian Doctrine by Prentice Hall Good - if you like Augustine |
| I found this book to be a bit dated. It has some helpful advice, but it's been said much better and more understandably in other books. Much of it is a guide on how to read the Bible. However, I have many of Augustine's writings (and this is no exception) to be too metaphoircal and cryptic. That style is ok for some things, but it's no good for explaining something as practical as how to read the Bible. Also, it was (understandably) rather dry. For a better book on the same subject, I would suggest Fee & Stuart's "How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth." |
| Augustine: On Christian Doctrine by Prentice Hall Book Description |
| The four books of Saint Augustine are a compilation of exegetical theology to guide the reader and listener in the understanding and interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, according to the analogy of the faith. The first three books were written A.D. 397 and the fourth was added A.D. 426. |
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