Overview

To Know God and the Soul presents a collection of essays on Augustine of Hippo written over the past twenty-five years by renowned philosopher Roland Teske. They reveal Teske's principal interests in Augustine, especially Augustine's discovery of a spiritualist metaphysics in the philosophy of Plotinus that allowed him to break away from Manichean and Stoic corporealism so that he could conceive of God as incorporeal and non-temporal and of the soul as incorporeal. Augustine's assimilation of Plotinian thought as a means of understanding Catholic Christianity provided key answers to some of the problems that he had had with the Christian faith, but it also led to other problems because some aspects of Platonism were incompatible with the Christian faith, as can be seen in Augustine's early account of the love of neighbor and in his understanding of the motive of creation. The articles focus on Augustine's philosophical thought and language about God, his argument for the existence of God, properties of God such as his substantiality and immutability, the creation of the world in time along with the question raised by the Manichees about what God was doing before he created the world. They tie the definition of time in the Confessions to the concept of a world-soul, which Augustine held at least in the years up to the Confessions. They offer an explanation of the unity of the Confessions, especially through an appeal to Augustine's interpretation of the heaven of heaven, and point to the salvific role of Christ who, according to Augustine, came to free us from time and make us eternal. In addition to a short general introduction, each of the articles is accompanied by a brief reflection in which the author has followed the bishop of Hippo's lead by providing a retractatio, in which he reexamines the articles from his present-day perspective.

Full Product Details

9780813228778

Table of Contents

Reviews

Over the past three decades Fr. Roland J. Teske, SJ has consistently crafted well-researched, incisive, provocative, and influential studies on St. Augustine, making him both an exemplary and leading scholar in the field, and we are fortunate that he has now published in one volume, To Know God and the Soul, what he regards as some of ... [his] ... best efforts at understanding Augustine... Teske's volume is characterized by superb scholarship, excellent insights, and fruitful suggestions- both explicit and implicit-concerning the direction of future scholarship in the field. This collection of articles manifests a very generous, sustained, and significant contribution to Augustinian studies, contains required reading for student and scholar alike, and ought toinspire more study both of Augustine and Teske's insightful commentaries thereon. -American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly [A] valuable contribution. Because of its close reading of dense texts, the book will be of most use to graduate students and specialists in Augustine's philosophy. Still, the rigorous analysis and patient, clear examination of some of Augustine's most subtle thoughts offer an example of the scholarly virtues we have long come to appreciate in this author. -Theological Studies This would be an excellent text for senior courses in theology or philosophy ... a first-rate model for comprehending what is involved in the work of contemporary scholarship: how to encounter an historical figure, how to work with original sources, and how to navigate through critical literature, all in view of reaching measured judgment and fashioning an original contribution. -Journal of Early Christian Studies

A valuable contribution. Because of its close reading of dense texts, the book will be of most use to graduate students and specialists in Augustine's philosophy. Still, the rigorous analysis and patient, clear examination of some of Augustine's most subtle thoughts offer an example of the scholarly virtues we have long come to appreciate in this author."""" - Theological Studies""""Over the past three decades Fr. Roland J. Teske, S.J., has consistently crafted well-researched, incisive, provocative, and influential studies on St. Augustine (xiv), making him both an exemplary and leading scholar in the field, and we are fortunate that he has now published in one volume, To Know God and the Soul, what he regards as """"some of... [his]... best efforts at understanding Augustine... Teske's volume is characterized by superb scholarship, excellent insights, and fruitful suggestions-both explicit and implicit-concerning the direction of future scholarship in the field. This collection of articles manifests a very generous, sustained, and significant contribution to Augustinian studies, contains required reading for student and scholar alike, and ought to inspire more study both of Augustine and Teske's insightful commentaries thereon."""" - Barry David, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly """"This would be an excellent text for senior courses in theology or philosophy... A first-rate model for comprehending what is involved in the work of contemporary scholarship: how to encounter an historical figure, how to work with original sources, and how to navigate through critical literature, all in view of reaching measured judgment and fashioning an original contribution."""" - Journal of Early Christian Studies

"A valuable contribution. Because of its close reading of dense texts, the book will be of most use to graduate students and specialists in Augustine's philosophy. Still, the rigorous analysis and patient, clear examination of some of Augustine's most subtle thoughts offer an example of the scholarly virtues we have long come to appreciate in this author."""" - Theological Studies""""Over the past three decades Fr. Roland J. Teske, S.J., has consistently crafted well-researched, incisive, provocative, and influential studies on St. Augustine (xiv), making him both an exemplary and leading scholar in the field, and we are fortunate that he has now published in one volume, To Know God and the Soul, what he regards as """"some of... [his]... best efforts at understanding Augustine... Teske's volume is characterized by superb scholarship, excellent insights, and fruitful suggestions-both explicit and implicit-concerning the direction of future scholarship in the field. This collection of articles manifests a very generous, sustained, and significant contribution to Augustinian studies, contains required reading for student and scholar alike, and ought to inspire more study both of Augustine and Teske's insightful commentaries thereon."""" - Barry David, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly """"This would be an excellent text for senior courses in theology or philosophy... A first-rate model for comprehending what is involved in the work of contemporary scholarship: how to encounter an historical figure, how to work with original sources, and how to navigate through critical literature, all in view of reaching measured judgment and fashioning an original contribution."""" - Journal of Early Christian Studies"

A valuable contribution. Because of its close reading of dense texts, the book will be of most use to graduate students and specialists in Augustine's philosophy. Still, the rigorous analysis and patient, clear examination of some of Augustine's most subtle thoughts offer an example of the scholarly virtues we have long come to appreciate in this author. - Theological Studies Over the past three decades Fr. Roland J. Teske, S.J., has consistently crafted well-researched, incisive, provocative, and influential studies on St. Augustine (xiv), making him both an exemplary and leading scholar in the field, and we are fortunate that he has now published in one volume, To Know God and the Soul, what he regards as some of... [his]... best efforts at understanding Augustine... Teske's volume is characterized by superb scholarship, excellent insights, and fruitful suggestions-both explicit and implicit-concerning the direction of future scholarship in the field. This collection of articles manifests a very generous, sustained, and significant contribution to Augustinian studies, contains required reading for student and scholar alike, and ought to inspire more study both of Augustine and Teske's insightful commentaries thereon. - Barry David, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly This would be an excellent text for senior courses in theology or philosophy... A first-rate model for comprehending what is involved in the work of contemporary scholarship: how to encounter an historical figure, how to work with original sources, and how to navigate through critical literature, all in view of reaching measured judgment and fashioning an original contribution. - Journal of Early Christian Studies

Author Information

Roland J. Teske, S.J., is Donald J. Schuenke Professor of Philosophy at Marquette University. The highly respected translator of more than twenty books, including St. Augustine's Anti-Pelagian Works, Letters, and most recently The Anti-Manichean Works as well as writings of William of Auvergne and Henry of Ghent, Teske is also author of Paradoxes of Time in St. Augustine and of numerous articles on Augustine, William, and Henry.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available