I did it. I finally finished De Trinitate. On Easter Sunday too, how fitting. What a masterpiece of philosophy and theology. Wow. Thank you for your contributions to western thought St. Augustine.
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Nice, Anon. I’ve decided to pick up some Augustine myself lately, but no specific time table for me.
How hard to read is it?
Study classical logic, rhetoric, and a manual of Trinitarian theology before reading Augustine.
>Study classical logic
How good is Kreeft's Socratic Logic in your opinion?
it's Aristotelian
I took modern mathematical logic in school, which is straight-up proven true and how computers work. So I get a little fricking annoyed when I misclassify a sentence according to Aristotle when his category was just made up in the first place and THEN translated from Greek to English, probably with Latin in between
Does mathematical logic even deal with categories?
the only limit to predicates is your imagination
That didn't answer the question. And Categories aren't just predicates; all predicates presuppose categories.
No they don't pseud
yes they do gigapseud
No they don't ultra-mega pseudo +.
Yes. They. Do. You frick uber-ultima-pseud+++
You seem educated enough already such that what I said shouldn't worry you.
I only say what I said because too many people dive headlong into such dense primary texts without any background and end up with unintended conclusions.
At your level, my only recommendation would be any manual of Trinitarian theology.
I find the middle books the most challenging, once he starts diving into the Aristotelian categories, it's a tedious read especially if you don't have a background in Aristotle at all. But wow I just couldn't stop reading. I love how, for lack of better words, romantic St. Augustine is. His theology is the Trinity is deeply rooted in his philosophy of mind, or rather vice versa. I can see just how influential he was in this area, he also discusses things like semiotics, atonement theory, and also if you're interested in the historical side of theology he gives really good insight into just what groups like Nicenes and Arians were debating over and why they thought like they did.
Congratulations, OP, happy Easter!
It's among the more inaccessible of St. Augustine's work even for people already familiar with theology/philosophy and the Trivium. Nonetheless, like many things in life, it's just a matter of consistent and conscious effort over a period of time. A.W. Haddan's From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series is licensed for free distribution. That's how I studied patristics. New Advent is a great resource.
https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/130101.htm
Is the story with the child Jesus putting the water into the bucket actually in the text of De Trinitate or is it a later legend?
And if that story is supposed to be about Augustine why is Augustine portrayed here as a tonsured monk?
No it's a later legend from an apocrypha of St. Augustine to St. Cyril of Jerusalem. Still cool though.
Of all Greeks, Aristotle is my least favorite... Liked Plato, the Stoics and Plotinus far more... Will I really have to read Aristotle?
The Nicomachean Ethics is not necessary, right?
You need to have working knowledge of Aristotle at the very least, and have a degree of competency about Neoplatonism too. But really you also need to know your scripture, and I mean know it in the sense that you also have a pretty good understanding of systematic theology.
Plato and especially Plotinus are way more essential to Augustine than Aristotle is.
Is this a book about metaphysics?
Yes. Much of the work is basically a philosophy of mind.
does it explain how to reach the noumenal realm?
Ty Saint augustine
does explain how to access the noumena?
It would be anachronistic to see it through the lens of German Idealism. But for the sake of discussion Augustine discusses how the human soul is an image of the Trinity and how this image allows us to ascend to a higher level of knowledge (sapientia) ultimately identical to the contemplating of God's essence as the Trinity. It is an imperfect image, but is signifies a true reality beyond our creaturely comprehension, something which we will gain fuller access to in heaven.
>For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Yes, this line and others like it in scripture are key for his thought.
I’ve tried to read. Confessions a few times, but I just can’t get into it. Theology and philosophy just aren’t for me.
Does he really do a proto dialectic approach in it?