|
|
|
|
|
Historical View of Augustine (World History: His Range of Interest)
|
|
|
Paul Jang
|
2008-04-11 01:46:01, hit : 4,412 |
|
|
Historical View of Augustine (World History: His Range of Interest)
장부영 2008-04-10 11:10:27, 조회 : 4
B. Augustine's range of interest
(1) His method of proof and interpretation
a. Time (Biblical concept)
1) All historical questions with arguments drawn not from an empirical investigation, but from revelation.
2) Thus the duration of the world is 6,000 years since the creation of Adam. This we know from the Bible.
3) For even if many, many thousands of years had elapsed, over against infinity any enumerable period of time would be like a drop of water beside the ocean.
b. Historical Events
1) In seeking to explain why any particular historical event occurred, Augustine declares that human knowledge cannot fathom God's purposes:
① God confers the Empire on Augustus and Nero alike, on Constantine the Christian and Julian the Apostate.
② Or else he suggests possible interpretations:
(a) Constantine was granted great success as a Christian ruler as a demonstration to men that the worship of pagan gods was not necessary for a brilliant rule.
(b) Other Christian rulers were unsuccessful, lest Christianity be regarded as a safeguard against earthly failure. (they did not connect the policy with belief).
(c) Nevertheless, it is the greatest good fortune for mankind if a truly pious ruler also possesses the art of governing his nation.
③ Or another interpretation:
(a) The world dominion of the Romans was their deserved reward for their love of freedom and striving for glory.
(b) Furthermore, the Empire was an example by which Christians might learn how to love their heavenly fatherland and incur great sacrifices for its sake.
(c) The study of political history is held to be meaningless, since faith knows that God's will is responsible for everything we do not understand.
(d) Empires, when justice is absent, are nothing more than great robber bands, just as bands of robbers, when they grow strong, are empires.
2) As we see, Augustine accepts the Roman theory that the wars of Rome were just, that the injustice was with the others.
c. Creation and Historical Sequence
1) However, following the analogy of the six days of Creation, Augustine sees the structure of history in the sequence of epochs marking the progress of the kingdom of God in the world:
① from Adam to the Flood,
② from the Flood to Abraham,
③ from Abraham to David,
④ from David to the Babylonian captivity,
⑤ from the Babylonian captivity to Christ,
⑥ from Christ to the end of the world.
2) With his meager insight into political trends, he did not regard Alaric's conquest of Rome as final.
3) Rome had survived many catastrophes and would no doubt outlive this one. (lasting longer).
4) His general view of history is never based on investigation but solely and explicitly on Biblical revelation.
(2) A modern reader notes, however, that it also reflects Augustine's own experience:
1) his personal conversion and its consequences.
2) The events of the individual are those of the world, and conversely.
3) Events of long duration are at the same time immediately present.
4) The great Christian thinkers saw their own history as one with Christian history
. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Introduction
History 