| CODE | MRT5802 | ||||||
| TITLE | Foundations of the Spirituality of Saint Augustine - You made us for you, Lord | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Moral Theology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Being a foundational study-unit, it will offer an outline of Saint Augustine’s life. Information will be given regarding the epoch and church in which he lived, and due attention will also be given to his environment. Selected readings taken from his Confessions will demonstrate his spiritual itinerary in search for God. These will eventually make clear how for Saint Augustine interiority was the way by which to find God. Grace, being the cornerstone of all his writings and reflections, will also be studied. The focus will be the place of grace in Saint Augustine’s spirituality. We will approach the spirituality of Augustine’s doctrine on grace from three, intrinsically linked, perspectives: 1) existential, 2) historical-doctrinal, and 3) pastoral. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit will give foundational ideas about Saint Augustine: - How his life experience was a source for his spirituality. - It will introduce students in Saint Augustine’s thinking on the relation between divine grace and human freedom. - A deeper understanding of one of the oldest and most crucial philosophical, theological and existential questions – the relation between heteronomy and autonomy. - Relevance of Augustine’s thinking for contemporary theology, pastoral ministry and spirituality. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: a) summarise the main events in the life of Saint Augustine; b) name the influential people in the life of Augustine; c) list places where he lived and give useful information about time during which he lived; d) describe how the idea of interiority is fundamental for Augustine’s personal quest for God; e) identify the concept of grace in the life and works of Augustine. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: a) analyse and evaluate selected texts of Augustine in their historical context; b) interpret the Confessions of Augustine both as a biographical work, as well as, a spiritual itinerary; c) evaluate key texts of Augustine on grace and anthropology. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - BROWN, PETER, Augustine of Hippo: A Biography, University of California Press, Berkelely, (2nd ed.), 2000. - STUDER, BASIL, The Grace of Christ and the Grace of God in Augustine of Hippo. Christocentrism or Theocentrism?, Liturgical Press, Collegeville 1997. Supplementary Readings: - BURNS, J. P., "Grace," in FITZGERALD, A. D. (ed.), Augustine through the Ages. An Encyclopedia, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids/Cambridge 1999, pp. 391-8. - CARUANA, SALVINU, ‘In love with loving’ … (Confessions 3, 1, 1). An Introduction to Augustine of Hippo, Augustinian Publications, Malta 2010. - DRECOLL, V. H., "Gratia," in MAYER, C. (ed.), CHELIUS, K. H. (red.), Augustinus-Lexikon III, 1/2, Schwabe & Co. AG, Basel 2004, 182-242. - DUPONT, ANTHONY, Gratia in Augustine’s sermones ad populum during the Pelagian Controversy. Do different contexts furnish different insights?, (Brill’s Series in Church History), Leiden – Boston, Brill, 2011. - FITZGERALD, A. D. (ed.), Augustine through the Ages. An Encyclopedia, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids/Cambridge 1999. - LANCEL, SERGE, Saint Augustine, SCM, London 2002. - VAN DER MEER, F., Augustine the bishop: the life and work of a Father of the Church, Sheed and Ward, London 1961. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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