Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 89:354 (Apr 1932)
Article: Augustine In Some Special Phases Of His Development
Author: J. L. Neve

BSac 89:354 (April 1932) p. 230

Augustine In Some Special Phases Of His Development

Dr. J. L. Neve

The review here to be given is a section of the writer’s manuscript for a volume to be entitled A History of Christian Thought in the Ancient Church.1 This article will not include the teaching of Augustine on Sin and Grace. His views on this great subject would presuppose a discussion of Pelagianism; it would even demand a review of the very characteristic differences between the East and the West on this same subject. On all of this there will be a special chapter in the volume referred to. The contribution of Augustine to the doctrine of the Trinity also is to such an extent part of a large doctrinal development that it cannot be dealt with in this connection; it must be given as a closing review in the chapter on the Trinity. In this article we shall confine our discussion to the personal interests in the theological development of Augustine.

Primary Sources: The MSL (J. P. Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, seria latina), in the parts pertaining to Augustine (volumes 32–47), is a reprint of his works by the Maurine Congregation of the Benedictines in eleven volumes.2 In the CSEL (Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum, 1867 ff.), intended as an especially critical text, the writings of Augustine are not yet complete. So

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far, the Confessions, the Retractions, the Letters, the City of God and the Anti-Donatist writings have appeared. The American edition by Philip Schaff of the Post-Nicene Fathers (first series) (to be cited as PNF), which is part of the Ante-Nicene, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, offers a selection of Augustine’s writings in eight volumes.3 For an estimate of Augustine’s life and development the primary “sources” are his Confessiones, his Retractiones and the Vita Augustini by his pupil Posidius.

General literature in the form of investigation and discussion: C. Bindemann, Der heil. Augustinus, 2 vols, Leipzig, 1844–55. F. Boehringer, Aurelius Augustinus, Bischof von Hippo. Stuttgart, 1878. U. J. C. Bourke, Life and Labours of St. Augustine. Doublin, 1880. R. W. Busch, St. Augustine, his Life and his Times. London 1883. H. C. Collette, St. Augustine, his Life and his Writings as Affecting his Controversy with Rome, ib. 1883. W. Cunningham, Augustine and his Place in the History of Chr. Thought, 1886. J. Hudson, St. Augustine. Bishop of Hippo, ib. 1899. J. McCabe, St. Augustine and his Age, New York, 1903. W. Thimme, Augustin’s geistige...