Augustine of Canterbury

John Calvin is the reformer that started Calvinism.Calvin was a man who was highly influenced by Luther but then ended up making his own modified version of Luther’s beliefs.The core beliefs of calvinism are predestination, Justification by faith alone and T.U.L.I.P.This paper will outline John Calvin’s thoughts on free will along with other’s thoughts on Calvin’s theory. John Calvin believes in predestination. Calvinism teaches that God alone decides who will be saved and humans have no way to…

Pseudo-Dionysius-The Areopagite, one of the most influential and inspiring theologians and philosophers of our world today. The birth and death dates of Pseudo-Dionysius are unknown, but was considered to be between the late fifth century to the early sixth century. Most of Pseudo-Dionysius’ writings are presumably lost but, what was recovered of his work are of the most famous and well known in the Christian community and a great framework for philosophers and theologians. Among his great work…

view till today. St. Augustine bishop of Hippo had an immense influenced the development of western ideological and political thoughts. This was because St. Augustine gave important insights that were taken up by successors, scholars and experts of politics and government. These thoughts by later scholars that were based on Augustinian foundations generally developed along lines that Augustine presumably would not have wished. St. Augustine Bishop of Hippo never postulated a political theory of…

In Confessions, St. Augustine writes an autobiography in which he takes his first steps in transitioning to Christianity by confessing his sins to God. This transition expounded his life story and further emphasized his journey to overcome his sinful endeavors. By acknowledging God as his audience, St. Augustine violates contemporary expectations of autobiographical writing. Using this method, he alters the conventional purpose -- to inform -- and meaning behind autobiographies. Instead, he…

Augustine heads to Carthage, ready to find both emotional and physical love. He also realizes that he is a jealous and suspicious lover. Augustine says, "Yet, had these things no soul, they would certainly not inspire our love" (31). If he didn't have these feelings he would not love and not care. At the end of chapter one Augustine says that he should be scourged with burning rods of jealousy, suspicion, fear, anger and strife. Augustin was fascinated by plays. He preferred tragedy because he…

Because of this analogy of reason to believe by the 'first mover' of thought(Aquinas) was coined (and his believers) as " Thomists." Who guided Aquinas in his thoughts? Influential guidance "thinkers" included Greek philosopher Plato and father Augustine to help him develop his train of thought on God's existence and reasoning for evil and free will. The chapter is a somewhat comical (in my opinion) and simple or not so simple approach on Aquinas 'Thomist' thoughts on evil and free will by…

Aquinas uses his writing to persuasively show that God works through events to immerse themselves into God’s life and act in a sense that shows true freedom. By doing so, Aquinas is able to engage the reader in the concept of faith without having to stating it. Aquinas thinks of law as divine instruction and God will not limit us but will instruct us. For example, Aquinas writes about how one should love one’s neighbor because God exists in all of us. We are able to see and give back to God by…

Saint Thomas Aquinas is important to us today in numerous areas. He brought together science and faith. As the world continues to see biblical faith as the inferior neighbor to science, Aquinas mastered both. Aquinas was the culmination of the greatest orthodox theologian. He did not do it by separating science and faith but brought them both together. Aquinas make reason a component of Christianity by making it a component of Biblical interpretation, a shaper of the doctrine, a way to protect…

Augustine Against Academic Skepticism: An Analysis of the Concept of the “Testimony of Knowledge” in the Epistemology of St. Augustine This philosophical study will analyze the reliability of “testimony of knowledge” as a foundation for St. Augustine’s epistemology. Augustine seeks to refute the traditional aspects of Platonic philosophy by arguing against the skeptic view of knowledge. The ”academic” (aka. Platonic perspective) of the skeptic is founded on the principles of doubt, which…

and Community in the Confessions While Saint Augustine is able to form some superficial relationships with his peers while he is not a practicing Catholic, all of his deeper connections with those around him have roots in his devotion to and relationship with God. In fact, Augustine even goes as far as to say that everyone who has expressed kindness towards him has only done so because of God’s love flowing through them. Because of this belief, Augustine is only able to form lasting connections…