The Oxford Guide to the Historical Reception of Augustine

The Oxford Guide to the Historical Reception of Augustine (OGHRA) is a ground-breaking international and interdisciplinary enterprise on the impact of the thought and work of Augustine of Hippo (AD 354 - 430). Arguably the most influential early Christian thinker in the Western part of the Roman Empire, Augustine's impact has reached further than the religious domain and he has become a veritable icon of western culture. OGHRA maps this influence not just in theology, his traditional area of prominence, but far beyond, taking into account fields such as political theory, ethics, music, education, semiotics, literature, philosophy, psychotherapy, religion, and popular culture. Beginning with a detailed introduction, it offers chapter-length discussions and contextualization on the general characteristics of Augustine's reception in various periods, as well as on specific themes as wide-ranging as Islam and gender. OGHRA also surveys the material transmission and intellectual reception of almost all of Augustine's extant works, documented in the light of recent research. The largest part of the volumes comprises around 600 entries which describe, analyse, and evaluate Augustine's influence on a broad variety of key figures and themes through the ages. Edited by Karla Pollmann (Editor-in-Chief), in collaboration with Willemien Otten (Editor) and twenty co-editors, it contains high quality scholarship from over 400 international experts. Offering precise information, with references to both primary and secondary sources, this reference work is unique in the breadth of material covered. It aims to survey the legacy of Augustine and make it available both to specialists and readers from other fields who may be unfamiliar with the scope of his impact.

Table of Contents:
Preface & Acknowledgements Table of Contents The Works of Augustine (Abbreviations, Dates) List of General Abbreviations General Introduction 1: Karla Pollmann: The Proteanism of Authority 2: The Making of Authority David Lambert: Patterns of Augustine's Reception, 430-700: a Synthesis Willemien Otten: The Reception of Augustine in the Early Middle Ages (700-1200): Presence, Absence, Reverence, and Other Modes of Appropriation Eric Saak: Augustine and his Late Medieval Appropriations (1200-1500) 3: Philology and Doctrinal Debate Jeremy Thompson: The Medieval Manuscript Tradition of Augustine's works: An Overview from 400-1200 Eric Saak: The Augustinian Renaissance: Textual Scholarship and Religious Identity in the Later Middle Ages (1200-1500) Arnoud Visser: Augustine in Renaissance Humanism Irena Backus: The 'Confessionalization' of Augustine in the Reformation and Counter-Reformation 4: Augustine Beyond Theology and Back Jean-Louis Quantin & Scott Mandelbrote: Augustine in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries Mark Elliott: Augustines in the Long Nineteenth Century's Theology Maarten Wisse: The First Modern Person? Twentieth-Century Theological Reception of Augustine 5: Other Augustine Peter Liebregts: 'Late have I loved you': Augustine and Modern Literature David Wilhite: Augustine in Black and African Theology Kari Børresen: Challenging Augustine in Feminist Theology and Gender Studies Daniel König: Augustine and Islam The Works of Augustine Individuals and Themes List of Contributors

About the Author :
Karla Pollmann is Professor of Classics and Head of the School of Humanities at the University of Reading. She has published monographs on late antique poetry, Augustine's hermeneutics, and most recently a commentary, with introduction and text, on Statius, Thebaid 12 (Ferdinand Schöningh, 2004).

Review :
It is rare to find a reference work that has the potential to affect so many different areas of thought ... the Guide provides a much-needed update to earlier tomes on Augustine ... there are few guides as accomplished and noteworthy as this one. Macy gives a brief, but helpful, introduction to the reception of Augustines sacramental theology, one that might be drawn upon in the ongoing conversation of broad sacramentality. A perfect example of the contemporary relevance of these volumes. Highly recommended. a new indispensable reference work on the reception of Augustine ... it is recommended wholeheartedly, without reservations, and with great gratitude to all editors and contributors. remarkable ... a very high standard and are appreciably more comprehensive and coherent than most collective volumes now appearing.