Thought Clothed with Sound
Augustine's Christological Hermeneutics in "De doctrina Christiana</I>
Published on 24. July 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
277 pages
978-3-906769-07-3 (ISBN)
Description
The present study discusses the symbiotic relationship between Augustine's hermeneutical insights and Christology. It focuses on the first three books of De doctrina Christiana in their given sequence. Since Augustine's hermeneutics implies a Christological epistemology, the author approaches De doctrina Christiana through Augustine's early epistemological treatises Contra Academicos and De Magistro. The former defends the possibility of certain knowledge, and the latter explains how this knowledge is gained through the illuminative activity of the Inner Teacher. The work also integrates linguistic signification in ancient philosophy which prepares the ground for understanding Augustine's 'science of signs' and the fundamental Christological analogy in doc. Chr. 1.13. This study exemplifies that Augustine's whole semiotic system is constructed around the fundamental Sign, the humanity of Christ, which in its hypostatic union with the divine nature enables one to know God through Christ the human being.
Reviews / Votes
«...those that specialize in either the thought of Augustine, the thought world of Late Antiquity, or in the history of early Christian interpretation will find this book engaging, helpful, and more than a little thought-provoking.» (Jonathan Yates, Louvain Studies)«...this is a useful book for theological libraries and for theologians and exegetes.» (Denis Edwards, Colloquium)
More details
Person
The Author: Tarmo Toom is a native of Estonia. After a career as a musician in an early music group ("Hortus Musicus") he studied theology in Baptist seminaries in Rüschlikon, Switzerland and in Richmond, Virginia. He obtained his doctorate in Historical Theology at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Currently he is an Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Falls Church, Virginia.
Content
Contents: Patristic exegesis - Christology and exegesis - Augustine on interpretation - History of biblical interpretation - Thought and language - Linguistic signification - Ancient philosophy and theology - Augustine and the ancient philosophical tradition - Literal and figurative interpretation - Regula fidei and biblical interpretation - Ancient epistemology and hermeneutics - Augustine on understanding the bible - The scriptural words and Christ the Word - The analogy between incarnation and the scripture.