The Grace of Christ and the Grace of God in Augustine of Hippo: Christocentrism or Theocentrism - Softcover

Studer, Basil

9780814658550: The Grace of Christ and the Grace of God in Augustine of Hippo: Christocentrism or Theocentrism

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0814658555 ISBN 13: 9780814658550

Publisher: Liturgical Pr, 1997

The two studies in this book bring to light a tension that dominates the entire theological thinking of Augustine: Is Augustine's theology to be viewed as Christocentric or theocentric? The problem may be stated another way: What is the relationship between the orders of creation and redemption? Is there a difference in principle or only a gradation between the creative action of God and God's action in grace, or between nature and grace?
In Augustine's view, faith depends in fact primarily on "the authority of Christ." But to what extent is this authority grounded in the authority of God? At the same time, human beings owe the certainty of their judgment to the presence of the interior teacher. But is not the eternal truth that enlightens the mind identical with the Word that God has spoken?
These two studies of Christ and God are intended to give an answer or at least elements of an answer to this most complex question.

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From the Inside Flap:

The two studies in this book shed light on a tension that dominates the entire theological thinking of Augustine: Is Augustine?s theology to be viewed as Christocentric or theocentric? The problem may be stated another way: What is the relationship between the orders of creation and redemption? The Grace of Christ and the Grace of God in Augustine of Hippo explores these questions. It shows that the tension between ?the gift of creation? and ?the gift-grace of redemption? brings up the problems of theocentrism and Christocentrism in Augustinian thought. Augustine cites Romans again and again: ?The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord? (7:25). In this context, Christ is consistently seen as mediator between God and humanity. But Augustine is also content with another formula: ?Through Christ as human being to Christ as God.? In Part I: ?The Grace of Christ? Father Studer tackles that question first?to make clear that for Augustine, both in his personal journey and in his theological thought, Christ was the way to God. Part II: ?The Grace of God? is concerned with the concept of God and in passages in which the word ?God? is used in either a specifically Christian sense or in a broad sense. Each study takes as its starting point an aspect of the Christocentrism/ Theocentrism question that is based on a short review of others? writings about Augustine, followed by a survey of Augustine?s most important writings in chronological order. Each study ends with a systematic overview.

About the Author:

Basil Studer, O.S.B., is professor of early Church history and patristics at the Pontifical Athaenaeum S. Anselmo and at the Patristic Institute, the Augustinianum, in Rome.

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