Augustine of Hippo

Peppers-Bates Paper #1 November 3, 2017 Malebranche: Occasional Causation Nicolas Malebranche, a French Catholic theologian, was a philosopher who was both highly admired and criticized. His works, which stemmed and expanded upon his mentors St. Augustine and Descartes, attempted to demonstrate and explain the active role God plays in every aspect of the world. Malebranche is best known for his doctrines: Occasionalism - which states that God is the only genuine causal agent in the universe,…

John of Damascus was born c. 675- 749 in Damascus under Muslim rule. His father was a Christian believer that was employed by the Caliph. John followed in his father’s footsteps working for the Caliph but eventually became a monk near Jerusalem, where he studied, wrote and preached. Some of John 's writings became the cornerstone for Greek Orthodox theology, however John is most known for the support of icons in the Catholic Church. John held the position of a iconophile, which means icon loving…

The theme of innocence, or lack thereof, is explored in “Prayer Before Birth” and “Once Upon a Time”. MacNiece writes “forgive me, For the sins that in me the world shall commit” while Okara writes “There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts, but that’s gone, son”. Both poets attempt to show how innocence can be corrupted by the world. MacNiece tries to justify the sin that he will inevitably combat, crediting it to the world he lives in, while Okara believes that he…

With influence from Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas is said to be one of the most influential thinkers of medieval scholasticism. A man who was once a simple theologian, became the founder of many teachings within the Catholic church. Starting as the youngest son of a family within lower nobility, St. Thomas Aquinas will end his life as an ordained teacher of theology and will have developed ideas of God. Most of his philosophical ideas and teachings come from his search for the existence and true…

Two interesting figures that I have come across during my readings were the reformer Luther and the monk Pelagius. Each one held their own opinion in regard to the Christian faith, and they would not yield easily to the beliefs of others. What struck me most about Luther was his extreme focus on having faith in God, and his lack of concern for people performing good deeds. As for Pelagius, he has an intriguing take on original sin and on the choices that humans make through the power of free…

Augustine, also better known as St. Augustine or even Aurelius Augustinus, was born in North Africa around 354, in the town of Tagaste. He was a fourth century philosopher, with Christian doctrine based on Neoplatonism, a theologian and a bishop. Raised by his Christian mother, he initially took a mild interest towards Christ, but surprisingly more towards the “attractions of sex, fame and pride in his own cleverness.” However, the fact that he was raised as Christian immensely affected him when…

to interpretation. In establishing a basis for argument and comparison, looking at Saint Augustine’s ideas on fate the The City of God and how his ideas conflict of that previously accepted is critical in understanding two philosophies of fate. Augustine deters from that previously…

The Medieval Ages, with the absence of knowledge, were in stark contrast to the Classical era. The main force behind this shift was the Catholic Church. Although the Catholic Church preserved and spread knowledge and patronized the arts, the Vatican edited knowledge to meet its doctrine, oppressed intellectuals and created religious fervor, and its policy shift towards knowledge will lead directly into the Renaissance. The two main facets to the Church’s positive impact on knowledge were…

John Calvin was one of the greatest theologians to live. He was most prominent in the “second wave of Protestant Reformation.” Calvin’s doctrine is one of the most-well-considered doctrines that still have an effect on Christianity today. This essay explains John Calvin’s understanding of Scripture; his understanding of Divine and human relationships; his thought about election, providence, how humans know and understand God; and lastly, his understanding of predestination. Calvin had a…

One reformer and who person can change the way we see things in the world. I can tell you that Theodore Beza changed the way we look at the world today. Now many of you are probably thinking ‘I have no idea who this man is.’ Don’t worry I didn’t know who he was either. I hope with this Research paper you will understand who Theodore Beza was and what he did to impact our world today. One Reformer, Theodore Beza, impacted the Protestant Reformation and the current way we live and worship today.…