Patristic Thought for the Good Life (AP2610Y)

Content

What has Jerusalem to do with Athens? Students will be introduced to the nature of philosophical inquiry, to key ancient philosophical and theological texts, and to the ways in which the development of Christian beliefs emerged from complex ways of engaging philosophical reflection. What difference does ancient philosophical thinking make to understanding the world as God’s creature, to salvation as the healing of all things, and to talking about human purpose within God’s who makes creatures flourish together? The unit encourages the development of skills in thinking and believing, including understanding contextualising texts and theological reasoning, and it will facilitate those through the understanding of key doctrinal issues and questions in the critical study of many of the traditions’ most significant early theologians as they engage with their philosophical contexts. Topics may include: the metaphysics of the doctrine of God and apophaticism, christology and soteriology, and the conception of the good life.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

1xAP or CT unit This unit precludes Patristic Thought for Christian Life CT2/3/9610Y

Pedagogy

synchronous and asynchronous lectures and text-based tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

• Popular Patristics Series (NY: SVS Press).
  
• Adamson, Peter. Classical Philosophy. A History of Philosophy Without any Gaps, Volume 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.
• Behr, John. The Formation of Christian Theology, Volumes 1 & 2: The Way to Nicaea. Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2001 & 2004.
  
• Colish, Marcia L. The Fathers and Beyond: Church Fathers between Ancient and Medieval Thought. London and New York: Taylor & Francis, 2023
• Davison, Andrew. The Love of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy for Theologians. London: SCM Press, 2013.
• Gilbert, Jess. The Mystical Tradition of the Eastern Church: Studies in Patristics, Liturgy, and Practice. Gorgias Press, 2020.
• Evans, G. R. (ed.). The First Theologians: An Introduction to Theology in the Early Church. Malden and Oxford: Blackwell, 2004.
• Ierodiakonou, Katerina (ed.). Byzantine Philosophy and its Ancient Sources. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2002.
• Karamanolis, George. The Philosophy of Early Christianity. Acumen Press, 2013.
• Reeve, CDC & Miller, Patrick Lee (eds.). Introductory Readings in Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy. Hackett, 2006.
• Williams, Rowan. On Augustine. London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2016.

Assessment