Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers First Series, St. Augustine: The Writings Against the Manichaeans, and Against the DonatistsPhilip Schaff "The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD marked the beginning of a new era in Christianity. For the first time, doctrines were organized into a single creed. The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers did most of their writing during and after this important event in Church history. Unlike the previous era of Christian writing, the Nicene and Post-Nicene era is dominated by a few very important and prolific writers. In Volume IV of the 14-volume collected writings of the Nicenes and Post-Nicenes (first published between 1886 and 1889), readers will find Augustines writings defending the Catholic church against the Manichaeans and the Donatists. Manichaeanism was a religion developed in Persia by the prophet Mani. According to this religion, creation has two parts: darkness and light. Light is God and has ten attributes. Opposing this, and coeternal with it, is darkness and its five attributes. Saint Augustine was originally a Manichaean, so his defense of Christianity against this religion comes from a deep understanding of its nature. Donatists were a group of believers who refused to forgive those who had renounced their faith during a time of persecution, which caused a schism in Christianity. In opposing these men, Augustine attempted to mend the rift. Those with an interest in ancient religions will find Augustines writings on Manichaeanism one of the most important historical records of that religions practices." |
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Page 12
... remain separate ? Let us learn from the Fihrist's narrative : " Mani teaches further : Out of this dark earth [ the Kingdom of Darkness ] arose Satan , not that he was in himself eternal from the beginning , yet were his substances in ...
... remain separate ? Let us learn from the Fihrist's narrative : " Mani teaches further : Out of this dark earth [ the Kingdom of Darkness ] arose Satan , not that he was in himself eternal from the beginning , yet were his substances in ...
Page 17
... remains lying as before in order that the sun , the moon , and the gods of Light may withdraw from it the powers , i.e. , the water , the fire and the gentle breeze , and he rises to the sun and becomes a god . But the rest of his body ...
... remains lying as before in order that the sun , the moon , and the gods of Light may withdraw from it the powers , i.e. , the water , the fire and the gentle breeze , and he rises to the sun and becomes a god . But the rest of his body ...
Page 22
... remains an important residuum of solid fact which must be taken account of by all future students of Manichæism . There is reason to hope that future work along the lines of Kessler's researches will bring to light much addi- tional ...
... remains an important residuum of solid fact which must be taken account of by all future students of Manichæism . There is reason to hope that future work along the lines of Kessler's researches will bring to light much addi- tional ...
Page 42
... remains for us to arrive at ? Such , then , being the chief good , it must be something which cannot be lost against the will . For no one can feel confident regard . ing a good which he knows can be taken from him , although he wishes ...
... remains for us to arrive at ? Such , then , being the chief good , it must be something which cannot be lost against the will . For no one can feel confident regard . ing a good which he knows can be taken from him , although he wishes ...
Page 44
... remains , in following after whom we live well , and in reaching whom we live both well and happily . If any deny God's existence , why should I consider the method of dealing with them , when it is doubtful whether they ought to be ...
... remains , in following after whom we live well , and in reaching whom we live both well and happily . If any deny God's existence , why should I consider the method of dealing with them , when it is doubtful whether they ought to be ...
Contents
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The beauty of the straight line might be taken from the region of darkness without taking anything from its substance So evil neither takes from nor ... | 142 |
Evil alone is corruption Corruption is not nature but contrary to nature Corrup tion implies previous good | 147 |
God alone perfectly good | 148 |
In what sense evils are from God | 149 |
Corruption is by Gods permission and comes from us | 150 |
Tim ii 24 25 | 157 |
Written after the year 404 It is put in the Retractations immediately after the De Actis | 387 |
BOOK I | 401 |
CONCERNING THE NATURE OF GOOD AGAINST THE MANICHÆANS | 457 |
The refutation of this absurdity | 143 |
The same subject continued | 144 |
Every nature as nature is good | 145 |
Nature cannot be without some good The Manichæans dwell upon the evils | 146 |
THE ANTIDONATIST WRITINGS | 515 |
THE CORRECTION OF THE DONATISTS | 629 |
INDEX TO THE ANTIDONATIST WRITINGS 667675 | 667 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham according animals apostle says AUGUSTIN answered authority baptism of Christ baptized believe better bishop blessed body born called carnal Carth Catholic Church CHAP charity Christian Circumcelliones circumcision command communion Conc condemned confess corruption curse Cypr Cyprian death defiled devil divine doctrine Donatists Donatus earth ecclesiastical province epistle error eternal evil faith false Father Faustus flesh follow fulfilled Gentiles give gospel heart heaven heresy heretics Holy Spirit Jews John judgment kingdom light Lord Manichæans Manichæus Matt Maximianus ment mind Moses nature ness Numidia Old Testament Optatus Paraclete passage Paul peace PETILIANUS praise preached precepts prophecy prophets prove punishment quoted race of darkness received reply righteous sacrament salvation schism Scripture shalt sins soul speak suffer teach thee things thou tion tism traditors true truth unclean unity unrighteous unto wicked words worship written yourselves
Popular passages
Page 499 - And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell : for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Page 482 - And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Page 331 - For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving : for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Page 203 - Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Page 167 - He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Page 442 - And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat : for hitherto ye were not able to bear it. Neither yet now are ye able.
Page 177 - Well ; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear : for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee.
Page 203 - Thus saith the Lord ; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh ; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.