The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ
Angels take on a unique role in Augustine’s understanding of creation. Traditionally, researchers have focused on <i>De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim</i>, <i>Confessiones,</i> and <i>De Civitate Dei contra paganos</i> to generate a descriptive account of the a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/322 |
| _version_ | 1797609254430965760 |
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| author | Donald Ho-Lun Wong |
| author_facet | Donald Ho-Lun Wong |
| author_sort | Donald Ho-Lun Wong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Angels take on a unique role in Augustine’s understanding of creation. Traditionally, researchers have focused on <i>De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim</i>, <i>Confessiones,</i> and <i>De Civitate Dei contra paganos</i> to generate a descriptive account of the angelic role in creation. As such, not much attention has been paid to the <i>emergence</i> of his understanding of angels in his earlier texts. The largely descriptive accounts have also left the theological <i>implication</i>, specifically the linkage between Augustine’s angelology and Christology, unaddressed. This paper offers a two-fold contribution. First, this paper argues that the often-overlooked text <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> represents the pivotal moment in the development of Augustine’s germinating thoughts on angels and creation. Augustine’s mature notions of angels as created light and created wisdom, as well as angelic noetic movement, find their roots in <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i>. Second, this paper argues that, from <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> to his more mature works, angels extend Christ’s work in creation. Augustine solves the problem of fashioning the corporeal from the spiritual by locating the production of intellectual prototypes <i>within</i> angels. Together with the designation of angels as “knowledge”, “light”, and “wisdom”, angels mirror Christ’s activity as creator. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:57:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17f67e062d4f4908a424abc00c9794fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:57:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-17f67e062d4f4908a424abc00c9794fa2023-11-17T13:36:01ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-02-0114332210.3390/rel14030322The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of ChristDonald Ho-Lun Wong0Divinity School of Chung Chi College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongAngels take on a unique role in Augustine’s understanding of creation. Traditionally, researchers have focused on <i>De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim</i>, <i>Confessiones,</i> and <i>De Civitate Dei contra paganos</i> to generate a descriptive account of the angelic role in creation. As such, not much attention has been paid to the <i>emergence</i> of his understanding of angels in his earlier texts. The largely descriptive accounts have also left the theological <i>implication</i>, specifically the linkage between Augustine’s angelology and Christology, unaddressed. This paper offers a two-fold contribution. First, this paper argues that the often-overlooked text <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> represents the pivotal moment in the development of Augustine’s germinating thoughts on angels and creation. Augustine’s mature notions of angels as created light and created wisdom, as well as angelic noetic movement, find their roots in <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i>. Second, this paper argues that, from <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> to his more mature works, angels extend Christ’s work in creation. Augustine solves the problem of fashioning the corporeal from the spiritual by locating the production of intellectual prototypes <i>within</i> angels. Together with the designation of angels as “knowledge”, “light”, and “wisdom”, angels mirror Christ’s activity as creator.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/322Augustineangelangelic knowledgecreationChristology<i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> |
| spellingShingle | Donald Ho-Lun Wong The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ Religions Augustine angel angelic knowledge creation Christology <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> |
| title | The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ |
| title_full | The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ |
| title_fullStr | The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ |
| title_short | The Emergence and Implication of the Role of Angels in Augustine’s Understanding of Creation: The Extension and Mirroring of Christ |
| title_sort | emergence and implication of the role of angels in augustine s understanding of creation the extension and mirroring of christ |
| topic | Augustine angel angelic knowledge creation Christology <i>De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/322 |
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