The Manichean Debate

by Augustine of Hippo

Publisher:

New City Press

, 2006

Overview

Eight works countering the Manichean religion, three of which have never been translated into English. Augustine’s writings on this subject provide a major source of information on and a fascinating look within a system of thought that during much of the third and fourth centuries challenged orthodox Christianity for dominance in the Roman Empire and beyond. Augustine addresses not only the Manichean understanding of the source and nature of evil, which furnished a basis for its intellectual attractiveness, but also the sects highly unusual customs and practices.

Contents

Top Highlights

“And so we are correct to say that reward and punishment come from him. For he did not make corruption, but he can deliver to corruption one who merits to suffer corruption, that is, one who has begun to corrupt himself by sinning, in order that against his will he may feel the corruption that torments him who willingly brought about the corruption that attracted him.” (Page 265)

“The apostles had not yet grasped in their mind that vengeance can exist without hatred when they were angry at those who did not welcome them with hospitality and asked the Lord whether he wanted them to call down fire from heaven, as Elijah had done, in order that the fire might devour those inhospitable people. Then the Lord answered them, saying that they did not know the Spirit whose sons they were and that he came to deliver and not to destroy people.⁵⁹ For in their hostile attitude they wanted to destroy the people whom they wanted the fire to devour. But afterwards, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and had become perfect, so that they could now love their enemies, they received the power to exact vengeance, because they were now able to exact vengeance without hatred.” (Page 209)

“Let them understand, rather, that vengeance can exist without hatred, which is something that only a few understand, and nonetheless as long as it is not understood, whoever reads the books of both Testaments will certainly be buffeted by great labor and errors and think that the scriptures are contrary to each other.” (Page 209)

“For the prophet Ezekiel most clearly showed that the sins of a father do not pertain to a son who lives righteously.^{25” (Page 184)}

Product Details

• Title: The Manichean Debate
• Author: Augustine of Hippo
• Series: The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century
• Volume: 19
• Publisher: New City Press
• Print Publication Date: 2006
• Logos Release Date: 2019
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Theology › Early church, ca. 30-600
• ISBNs: 8928878, 1565480554, 1565482476, 9781565482470, 9781565480551
• Resource ID: LLS:MANICHEANDEBATE
• Resource Type: text.monograph.collected-work
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:19:31Z

About Augustine of Hippo

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) is often simply referred to as St. Augustine or Augustine Bishop of Hippo (the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba in Algeria). He is the preeminent Doctor of the Church according to Roman Catholicism, and is considered by Evangelical Protestants to be in the tradition of the Apostle Paul as the theological fountainhead of the Reformation teaching on salvation and grace.