Tarmo Toom, (ed.), Augustine in Context, Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Augustine in Context assesses the various contexts – historical, literary, cultural, spiritual – in which Augustine lived and worked. The essays, written by an international team of scholars especially for this volume, provide the background against which Augustine’s treatises should be read and interpreted. They are organized according to a rationale which moves from an introduction to the person (the so-called ‘personal context’) to the contexts of Augustine’s works and ideas, starting from the intellectual setting and extending to the socio-political realm. Collectively the essays highlight the embeddedness of Augustine in the world of late antiquity and the interdependence of his discourse with contemporary forms of social life. They shed new light on one of the most important figures of the western canon and facilitate a more enlightened reading of his writings.
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Contents
Introduction, pp xviii-xxiv
1 – Augustine in Context and Augustine on Context pp 1-10, By Tarmo Toom
Part I – Life
2 – Biography in Late Antiquity, pp 13-21, By Arthur P. Urbano
3 – Augustine on Himself, pp 22-29, By Annemaré Kotzé
4 – Possidius on Augustine, pp 30-36, By Erika T. Hermanowicz
5 – Augustine in Roman North Africa (Thagaste, Carthage), pp 37-43, By Gareth Sears
6 – Augustine in Higher Society (Rome and Milan), pp 44-50, By David M. Gwynn
7 – Augustine as a Bishop (Hippo), pp 51-58, By Andrea Sterk
Part II – Literary and Intellectual Contexts
8 – Language, pp 61-67, By James Clackson
9 – Classical Literary Culture in North Africa, pp 68-78, By W. Martin Bloomer
10 – Education, Grammar, and Rhetoric, pp 79-85, By Yun Lee Too
11 – Scripture and Biblical Commentaries, pp 86-93, By Stephen A. Cooper
12 – Latin Christian Literature I (Polemical and Theological Writings), pp 94-101, By Josef Lössl
13 – Latin Christian Literature II (Moral and Spiritual Writings), pp 102-110, By David G. Hunter
14 – Letter Writing and Preaching, pp 111-118, By Jaclyn Maxwell
15 – Philosophical Trends in Augustine’s Time, pp 119-126,
Part III – Religious Contexts
16 – Roman Religion, pp 129-136, By Jeffrey Brodd
17 – Manicheism, pp 137-144, By Nicholas Baker-Brian
18 – Ecclesiological Controversies, pp 145-152, By Alden Bass
19 – Soteriological Controversies, pp 153-160, By Dominic Keech
20 – Trinitarian Controversies, pp 161-168, By Mark Weedman
21 – Monasticism/Asceticism, pp 169-176, By Marilyn Dunn
Part IV – Political, Social, and Cultural Contexts
22 – Imperial Politics and Legislation in Roman Africa, pp 179-186, By Dean Hammer
23 – War, pp 187-194, By Alexander Sarantis
24 – Religious Violence, pp 195-202, By Despina Iosif
25 – Relationships in Augustine’s Life, pp 203-210, By Geoffrey Nathan
26 – Popular Culture and Entertainment, pp 211-218, By Jerry Toner
Part V – Reception
27 – Augustine’s Reception of Himself, pp 221-229, By Johannes Brachtendorf
28 – Reception of Augustine during His Lifetime, pp 230-237, By Mathijs Lamberigts
29 – Reception of Augustine in Hadrumetum and Southern Gaul, pp 238-245, By Alexander Y. Hwang
A Note on Augustine’s Works, pp 246-246
Further Reading, pp 261-266