Augustine's Philosophical Interactions with Christianity

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Special Session

Organizer Name

Marianne Djuth

Organizer Affiliation

Canisius College

Presider Name

Marianne Djuth

Paper Title 1

Augustine's Enduring Skepticism

Presenter 1 Name

Aron Reppmann

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Trinity Christian College

Paper Title 2

Augustine Cheats in the Rebuttal to Cicero's Dilemma about Divine Foreknowledge

Presenter 2 Name

Thomas Losoncy

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Villanova Univ.

Paper Title 3

A Christian Neoplatonist Reads Genesis: Augustine as Exegete and Preacher

Presenter 3 Name

Nancy Weatherwax

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Western Michigan Univ.

Start Date

17-5-2015 10:30 AM

Session Location

Valley II Garneau Lounge

Description

This session focuses on the interaction between philosophy and Christianity in Augustine's works. The first presentation emphasizes the continuity between Augustine's skeptical Platonism in the early work On the Academics and his use of skeptical techniques in mature writings such as the Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Charity. The second presentation explores the interaction between philosophy and Christianity in Augustine's refutation of Cicero's dilemma regarding divine foreknowledge. The third, and final, presentation analyzes the persuasive techniques of a number of Augustine's Tractates on the Gospel of John in light of his Neoplatonist-shaped theology of Genesis. Each of these presentations provides insight into how Augustine used philosophy to shape his understanding of Christianity.

Marianne Djuth