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dissertationes

1. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Manlio Simonetti

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Following the edition of the works of Ps. Justin by B. Pouderon, this article presents some critical notes concerning de monarchia and the Cohortatio ad Graecos. Notwithstanding the significant relationship with Clement of Alexandria, the de monarchia in fact comes from the Judeo-Hellenic background of Alexandria. The work was composed in the context of the anti-polytheistic controversy, and lacks the detail which would indicate a Christian origin. Concerning the Cohortatio it is suggested that due to its linguistic characteristics the probable author is Marcellus of Ancyra, despite the fact that neither the doctrine nor the exegesis support this assumption.
2. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Patricio de Navascués Benlloch

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Faced with an Alexandrian (Arian) anthropology of Neoplatonic inspiration, Eustathius adopts a strong position in several statements that is similar to astoic Aristotelianism of the 4th century. Nevertheless, Eustathius's reflection is more genuinely theological, than it is reflective of any particular philosophical trend. For him, the human body is a dynamic concept which finds its full meaning in light of the history of salvation, wherein the incarnate and glorified Logos, the second Adam, brings to completion the perfection and incorruptibility of the humble body formed from clay in the first Adam, the protoplast.
3. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Chiara Curzel

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The oxymoron, a figure of speech formed by the combination of antithetical terms, is used by Gregory of Nyssa as a linguistic means to express the ineffable divine mystery and the experience of man which incessantly turns toward it. A more accurate analysis of such expressions within some of his spiritual works, one that takes into account their history or originality, allows for an understanding of some nuances of his theology based on divine infinity and an appreciation of a use of language which by way of the very shattering of logic arrives at its maximal expressive capacity.
4. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Paola Marone

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It has been tempting for many historians of fourth century North Africa to view the Donatist Church as a patriarchal movement. However Donatism exhibited varied contours during its period of ascendancy in north Africa, and the female presence often led to tension, even schism, within itself. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Donatist movement through a gender perspective and to explain the role of the women who lived between the Great Persecution and the Conference of Carthage (411). In particular, the article examines Lucilla and other women of the Donatist movement.
5. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Vittorino Grossi

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The Conlatio Carthaginensis of 411, took place in three sessions. During the third session, the Donatist bishops requested that their Church be recognized as 'Catholic', in the sense of being Christian. Whereas Augustine argued that the present Catholic Church, wherever she is found, is that which is attested to by the divine scriptures (Gesta 3,20 and 74), the Donatists, through their spokesman Petilian, countered that theirs was the true Catholic Church, given their constancy in the true faith and catholic discipline (Gesta 3,22 and 27 and 75). Both episcopates remained tied to their respective positions; hence, the summary of the Donatist Gaudentius: «'Catholic' is not that which can referred to the whole, but that which is fully consecrated, perfect, immaculate, and, therefore, that which has nothing to do with nations» (Gesta 3,102).
6. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Pietro Antonio Ferrisi

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In Augustine's theological reflection, the biblical truth of “creation out of nothingness” becomes the dogmatic foundation of his philosophical speculation. Augustine argues that since “matter” is eternal, nothing can be derived from “nothingness”. He thus opposes the metaphysical paradigm of Christian thought which places God (“efficient cause”) and nothingness (“deficient cause”) as the origin of all existence. The “material cause” is no longer the “prime cause” of all beings but is replaced by the meontological dimension of absolute nothingness. The shifting of the metaphysical paradigm in Augustine's speculation on the revealed truth of creatio ex nihilo leads to a theoretical gain: “nothingness” becomes a philosophical foundation capable of preserving both the truth of God's absolute freedom and the negation of all pantheism.
7. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Manlio Della Serra

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The notion of ‘omnipotence’ (potentia dei) runs through the history of medieval philosophy especially after the contribution of Augustine’s thought. Augustine thus traces ethical developments from the idea of God’s sovereignty to the construction of an order of things comparable with his power of creation. Augustine was the first Christian thinker to introduce and document the notion of potentia dei in an ethical context, proving at the same time that the ambivalence of God’s power results either from the activity of ordering, or from the impossibility of God’s duplication, or from the incapacity to destroy the world in respect to a rational configuration of laws and events.
8. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Geoffrey D. Dunn

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Innocent I (402-417) addressed Epistula 38 to two Bruttian bishops, Maximus and Severus, in response to a complaint from Maximilianus, an agens in rebus,that these southern Italian bishops had failed to take action against presbyters who fathered children contrary to the requirements of celibacy after ordination and claimed to be ignorant of any policy on this matter. Innocent reminded the two bishops that they needed to attend to their duties. This letter is among the earliest evidence for how the Roman bishop operated in practice as metropolitan of Suburbicarian (and possibly Annonarian) Italy and so this article examines the growth of Rome’s metropolitan authority and concludes from an examination of both context and content of the letter that Innocent did not refer to any formal authority,which grew over time but seems to have been limited to presiding over synods, approving the election and ordination of new bishops, and hearing appeals from deposed bishops outside his province, but was exercising a practical authority as the leading bishop of the area, which he expressed in surprised tones, to direct them to do their duty.
9. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Angelo Di Berardino

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On the 3rd of March 380, Theodosius, moved by the qualitas (pro reverentia religionis) of the pre-paschal period, a special time of preparation for Easter,mandates the suspension during Christian Lent of all penal trials which normally resulted in torture (Cod. Theod. 9,35,4 = Cod. Iust. 3,12,5). Lent is a specifically Christian time which developed to a large degree in the course of the fourth century, but which varied in duration and organization in the various churches. The law adapts the judicial calendar for the administration of justice to the rhythms of Christian liturgy. Theodosius in 389 (Cod. Theod. 9,35,5; 9,35,7) decrees that during Lent supplicia corporis could not take place, due to the sacredness of those days intended as a salutary penance which culminates in Easter reconciliation. Since the duration of Lent varied within the various churches, civil authorities of the provinces were to be informed by local Christians of the beginning and end of Lent.
10. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Ilaria L.E. Ramelli

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This article first deals with Pantaenus’s mission to India, which began in Alexandria through the private initiative of Pantaenus, the teacher of Clement who was also well known to Origen. In the age of Athanasius (fourth century), another mission to India was organised in Alexandria, and this time the bishop himself took the initiative to send missionaries. Meanwhile in Alexandria the episcopacy had gained strength, and the head of the Didaskaleion – Didymus, a follower of Origen – was then appointed by the bishop, whereas neither Pantaenus nor Clement were so appointed. The article also discusses to which “India” the mission was directed. Generally, it is considered to have been Ethiopia, but in fact it might have been India.
11. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1
Pia De Simone

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Between November 11 and 13, 2009, the conference Dal logos dei Greci e dei Romani al logos di Dio was held at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore(in Milan) in memory of Marta Sordi. The meeting is part of a multi-year project of dialogue and analysis exploring philosophical, religious, historical and political issues that were as widespread in classical and late antiquity as they are currently of concern in contemporary debate. The meeting explored the word logos, that has his roots in the classical world before being adopted and used by Christianity as its own. The following report includes references from all participants’ papers.

12. Augustinianum: Volume > 51 > Issue: 1

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