The Evolution of Admonitio in Augustine’s Early Treatises (386–391)
This article investigates the development that Augustine’s use of the term admonitio underwent in his early works, from AD 386 to 391. After preliminary remarks, we examine the term in the Cassiciacum dialogues by looking at the different sources of admonitio, namely, (1) advice from other people, (...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brepols
2020
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| In: |
Sacris erudiri
Year: 2020, Volume: 59, Pages: 37-60 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Augustinus, Aurelius, Saint 354-430
/ Latin
/ Noun
/ admonitio
/ History 386-391
|
| IxTheo Classification: | KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
| Online Access: |
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| Summary: | This article investigates the development that Augustine’s use of the term admonitio underwent in his early works, from AD 386 to 391. After preliminary remarks, we examine the term in the Cassiciacum dialogues by looking at the different sources of admonitio, namely, (1) advice from other people, (2) impetus to thought or action given by things rather than people, and (3) divine counsel. Next we analyse developments between 386 and 391. As a result of this analysis, we come to the following four conclusions: (1) Augustine’s use of the term evolved, becoming more systematic and technical during the period between 386 and 389. (2) The sense of admonitio as inner divine counsel disappears from Augustine’s works after the Cassiciacum period. (3) Simultaneously, external reality as the source of admonitio became prominent in his writings. (4) Finally, the most important change in the Augustinian understanding of admonitio is its incorporation into the foris-intus schema from 389 onwards. This article documents the previously unnoticed connection between the development of admonition and the evolution in Augustine’s thought concerning the relationship between the mind and the external world. While Augustine initially regarded admonitio as taking place within the inner sanctum of the human soul, he will later understand admonitio as the external counterpart to the soul’s inner union with God. We argue that this transition from internal to external admonition implies a development in which Augustine came to see the relationship between the mind and external reality in an increasingly complementary way, as a dynamic interplay between the external world, the human soul, and divine illumination. |
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| ISSN: | 2295-9025 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sacris erudiri
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1484/J.SE.5.124509 |