Divine Illumination (eBook)

The History and Future of Augustine's Theory of Knowledge

Lydia Schumacher (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2011 | 1. Auflage
264 Seiten
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-4443-9507-5 (ISBN)

Infos

DIVINE ILLUMINATION

"An important and ground-breaking study which links growing interest in Augustine and medieval philosophy with cutting-edge questions in contemporary philosophy of religion, particularly concerning epistemology and the 'rationality' of religion."

Janet Soskice, University of Cambridge

"In this lucidly argued and solidly documented study, Schumacher uncovers the roots of problems notoriously besetting modern theories of knowledge in conflicting medieval interpretations of Augustine's assumptions about knowledge as divine illumination: an intriguing thesis, which she handles with delicacy and flair."

Fergus Kerr, O.P. University of Edinburgh

"Challenges the traditional history of theories of knowledge. A bold and provocative reading."

Olivier Boulnois, École Pratique des Hautes Études (University of Paris, Sorbonne)

Divine Illumination offers an original interpretation of Augustine's theory of knowledge, tracing its development in the work of medieval thinkers such as Anselm, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus. Although Scotus is often deemed responsible for finally pronouncing Augustine's longstanding illumination account untenable, Schumacher shows that he only rejected a version that was the byproduct of a shift in the understanding of illumination and knowledge more generally within the thirteenth-century Franciscan school of thought.

To reckon with the challenges in contemporary thought on knowledge that were partly made possible by this shift, Schumacher recommends relearning a way of thinking about knowledge that was familiar to Augustine and those who worked in continuity with him.

Her book thus anticipates a new approach to dealing with debates in contemporary epistemology, philosophy of religion, and theology, even while correcting some longstanding assumptions about Augustine and his most significant medieval readers.

Autor

Lydia Schumacher is Research Fellow and a member of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford.

Inhalt

Acknowledgments ix

Editions x

Abbreviations xii

Introduction 1

Augustine on Divine Illumination 4

Interpretations of Divine Illumination in Augustine's Thought 7

Interpretations of Divine Illumination in Medieval Thought 14

Re-interpreting the History of Augustine's Theory of Knowledge 16

1 Augustine 25

Introduction 25

The Doctrine of God 29

Creation in the Image of God 30

The Fall and Redemption 39

Conforming to the Image of God 42

Divine Illumination 58

2 Anselm 66

Introduction 66

The Image of God 74

Conforming to the Image of God 76

Divine Illumination 82

Anselm the Augustinian 83

3 Divine Illumination in Transition 85

Introduction 85

New Schools 85

New Translations 88

New Religious Challenges 100

New Religious Orders 101

New Intellectual Traditions 103

4 Bonaventure 110

Introduction 110

The Doctrine of God 117

Creation in the Image of God 121

The Fall and Redemption 132

Conforming to the Image of God 135

Divine Illumination 141

Bonaventure the Augustinian? 143

5 Aquinas 154

Introduction 154

The Image of God 160

Conforming to the Image of God 165

Divine Illumination 173

Aquinas the Augustinian 178

6 Divine Illumination in Decline 181

Introduction 181

Peter John Olivi 182

Henry of Ghent 186

John Duns Scotus 194

Augustinian and Franciscan Thought 201

Franciscan and Modern Thought 208

7 The Future of Augustine's Theory of Knowledge 217

Introduction to a Theological Theory of Knowledge 217

Reason in a Theological Theory of Knowledge 223

Faith in a Theological Theory of Knowledge 226

Conclusion 234

Index 240

Rezensionen

"Taking Augustine's Platonism seriously thus affords
a better understanding of Augustine's theory of knowledge
than taking either Aristotelian or Avicennan notions of the
intellect as normative." (Scottish Journal of
Theology, 1 July 2014)

"Nonetheless, she has written an important and stimulating
book." (Reviews in Religion and Theology, 1
March 2013)

"This volume merits attention from patristic scholars,
medievalists, systematic theologians, and philosophers
alike." (Religious Studies Review, 1 June
2012)

"Schumacher could very well recommend the epistemological
itinerary of the de Trinitate without the challenge of
re-writing western intellectual history. I look forward to her next
book, which promises to do just that."
(Modern Theology, 1 January 2013)

"An important and ground-breaking study which links growing
interest in Augustine and medieval philosophy with cutting edge
questions in contemporary philosophy of religion, particularly
concerning epistemology and the 'rationality' of religion.

--Janet Soskice, University of Cambridge

"In this lucidly argued and solidly documented study Schumacher
uncovers the roots of problems notoriously besetting modern
theories of knowledge in conflicting medieval interpretations of
Augustine's assumptions about knowledge as divine
illumination: an intriguing thesis, which she handles with delicacy
and flair."

--Fergus Kerr, O.P. University of Edinburgh

"Challenges the traditional history of theories of knowledge. A
bold and provocative reading."

--Olivier Boulnois, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes
(University of Paris, Sorbonne)

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.3.2011
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Erkenntnistheorie / Wissenschaftstheorie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Philosophie des Mittelalters
• Themenwelt: Religion / Theologie ► Christentum ► Kirchengeschichte
• Schlagworte: Religion & Theology • Religion u. Theologie • Systematic Theology • Systematische Theologie
• ISBN-10: 1-4443-9507-6 / 1444395076
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4443-9507-5 / 9781444395075