Cui narro haec? Augustine and his Manichaean audience: A re-reading of the first three books of the Confessions

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

Annemaré Kotzé¹ 

[1] Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University;

关键词: Augustine;    Confessions;    Protreptic;    Paraenetic;    Manichaeans;    Manichaeism;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The issue of intended audience in the first three books of Augustine’s Confessions is investigatedin light of the presence of terms and phrases that may have had special connotations forpotential Manichaean readers. This is done against the background of definitions of protrepticand paraenetic, which typically revolve around audience location and communicativepurpose. Although it has become commonplace to refer to the Confessions as a protreptic thework displays a number of characteristics more in line with current mainstream definitions ofparaenetic, amongst other things, by assuming the stance of addressing insiders in agreementwith the author’s world view. It is argued that the type of reader most receptive to the insiderstance and allusion to the Old Testament on the one hand and to the Manichaean material onthe other, would be a Manichaean apostate recently converted to Catholic Christianity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown