Hyde Park, New York: New City Press. Also, he had a broader scope than the allegorical commentaries since was not focused merely on refuting one heretical view or showing how the creation account symbolized his own testimony. Green Forest, Arkansas: Master Books. He began his first commentary by elucidating the issues advanced by the Manicheans and why a study of Genesis 1 would refute their claims. It is also possible that some of them were created on the fifth day when God made the flying and swimming creatures. Finally, mankind was created and given dominion over all these things (Chaffey 2008, p. 51). Lactantius. The next six books deal with the second chapter of Genesis and the creation of angels and man’s soul. Faith and Mission 10, no. Augustine did in fact claim that man’s history on earth was less than 6,000 years, but he was unclear about the amount of time that may have passed, if any, prior to man’s creation (Ham 2006, pp. Trans. Augustine thought of the image and likeness of God in the 'interior man' in terms of the expression of human superiority to the other animals. Consequently, the statement “Let there be light” could not have been made in time, but in eternity, and it could not have literally referred to the creation of light, but of intelligent life (Augustine 2002b, I.17). His apologetic interest was a response to frequent attacks on Genesis by non-Christians and what he felt were inept defenses of it by uneducated Christians. The Literal Meaning of Genesis, translated by John Hammond Taylor (1982), Vol. The land animals lived on the land and ate the vegetation of the third day. Nevertheless, even though he was not concerned with the modern contest, one of his hermeneutical practices set forth in these commentaries has contributed to the ongoing dispute. Once again, Augustine revealed his apologetic and pastoral interests as he introduced numerous questions that apparently were common in his day. His three commentaries and his books on Genesis included in The Confessions will be examined in detail. The first two -- On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees and his Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis -- are early works. He speculated that time may be simply a matter of one’s consciousness but seems to reject that notion after contemplating some of its ramifications. To refute astrology, he pointed out that twins are conceived and born at the same time and yet so often their lives are completely different. When discussing the creation of the flying and swimming creatures of the fifth day, Augustine could not imagine that a fish or bird could conceive, carry in the womb, and give birth before the evening of the fifth day arrived (Augustine 2002c, 51). Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 32, no. This truth is repeated in Exodus 20:11 and Exodus 31:17–18. The famous church father wrote four separate commentaries on the first chapter of Genesis. The arguments resonate in a time where Genesis is attacked on all sides on a daily basis. In his essay, On Genesis, Augustine discusses the meaning of literal interpretation in the first book of the bible, Genesis. This volume brings Augustine's works on the beginning of Genesis together for the first time in English and provides a comprehensive introduction to each one. To answer this, one should consult an accurate history book, if available. If one arbitrarily chooses which passages are to be interpreted literally and which are allegorical, then the Bible can be made to say just about anything. This concern is well-intentioned but he seemingly failed to notice the potential danger it could have on one’s hermeneutic. Augustine does not claim infallibility for his own interpretation.8 Instead, nearly the opposite is true. Books ten and eleven focus on Genesis 3 and the final book discusses various concepts about paradise. His first concern was to answer the Manichean charge about God creating “In the beginning.” Similar to many skeptics today, the Manichee would ask what God was doing during the time before He created the world. This imitation of Cicero’s Orator for Christian purposes sets out a theory of the interpretation of Scripture and offers practical guidance to the would-be preacher. However, the likely answer is found in Genesis 1:30. Perhaps his strongest arguments are found near the end of the second book. Augustine on Creation from Confessions John of Damascus on Creation and Paradise from the Orthodox Faith Theophilus of Antioch on Genesis 1-11 from Letter To Autolycus Smither, E. L. 2009. Before investigating the four commentaries, it must be noted that Augustine was commenting on the Vetus Latina, the Old Latin text of the Bible, which would soon be replaced by Jerome’s Vulgate. He spent ten paragraphs attempting to explain that the “greenery and the fodder of the field” of Genesis 2:5 somehow symbolized the creation of the human soul (Augustine 2002a, II3.4–6.7). O’Meara, J. J. Since he had not finished his earlier literal commentary, he set out to demonstrate that the first three chapters of Genesis could be understood in a literal sense, as he defined it. (ISBN: 9781565482012) from Amazon's Book Store. Young-earth creationists have even quoted Augustine to show that he believed that man’s time on earth was less than 6,000 years.25. Finally, perhaps the biggest problem is the inconsistency with which this hermeneutic is used. AiG consents to unlimited copying and distribution of print copies of, An Examination of Augustine’s Commentaries on Genesis One and Their Implications on a Modern Theological Controversy, How Genomes are Sequenced and Why it Matters: Implications for Studies in Comparative Genomics of Humans and Chimpanzees, Created Kinds and Essential Natures: A Biblical and Philosophical Response to Evolutionists, Williams 2001, p. 62. He began his commentary by explaining that he had been advised. He must be interpreted in light of his contextual setting. After a discussion on the various weights of water, earth, air, and fire, he tried to answer why Saturn was believed to be so cold. Sadly, due in large part to the controversy over the age of the earth, many Christian leaders ignore Genesis and the issues surrounding it. Thus, after moving toward a more literal hermeneutic in his unfinished commentary, Augustine returns to a nearly full-fledged allegorical style in The Confessions. Browntown, Wisconsin: Midwest Apologetics. Neo-Platonism held a view of the “One” that was wholly other or transcendent, and which had both spiritual and physical emanations springing from it. Since the Bible repeatedly utilized this type of anthropomorphism, the Manichees found numerous reasons to criticize it and their criticisms eventually impacted the young Augustine who was struggling to develop a reasonable understanding of Scripture. After giving consideration to a straightforward understanding—that days one through three were marked by the light created on Day One and that days four and following were marked by the heavenly bodies—Augustine opted for a timeless creation of all things. Moreover, Hebrews 11:3 claims that it is “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which were visible.” A humble recognition that God has revealed to man precisely what He did during the Creation Week would go a long way in resolving the ever-present controversies surrounding the hexaemeron. His use of Genesis to refute false teachings and set forth the truth should be instructive for church leaders today.31 His conviction that God’s word is authoritative and inerrant should also be emphasized among modern believers. We all have our reading bucket lists. New Revised Standard Version. However, rather than following his own advice in this comment, Augustine frequently rejected the plain interpretation of Scripture because he was committed to particular philosophical and scientific beliefs, many of which have now been invalidated. Augustine’s final commentary on Genesis was undoubtedly his most concerted effort as it was written over a fifteen year period. This complicated reasoning could have easily been avoided if he would have accepted a progression of time during the creation rather than clinging to an instantaneous creation. McGrath, A. Augustine’s changing hermeneutic set a dangerous precedent in the church and has provided fodder for all sides of the ongoing controversy over the age of the earth. Thankfully, these Christians inconsistently apply their hermeneutic; otherwise, they would not believe the Gospel. Chafer Theological Seminary Journal 7, no. Asking when something happened is different than asking how and why something works. The embarrassing episode of Galileo and Pope Urban VIII would have been avoided had the Church not melded their interpretation of Scripture with the Ptolemaic view of the solar system.27, In the same way, old-earth creationists today often marry modern scientific conclusions with the text of Scripture. Geisler, N. L. 2003. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year” (Irenaeus 1994, V.28.3). While it may be impossible to be dogmatic that all animals were originally vegetarian, since the fish are not listed, this verse mentions “every beast of the earth, every bird of the air,” and “everything that creeps on the earth.” These three classifications cover all land creatures which are frequently carnivorous today. Keywords: Augustine, Confessions, church fathers, Irenaeus, Lactantius, young-earth creationism, intelligent design, old-earth creationism, theistic evolution, allegory, Manichaeism, neo-Platonism. Augustine wrote nothing to the purpose concerning faith; for he was first roused up … His argument is that this must be interpreted figuratively because this command is only given to the birds and fish (whom he sees as representative of unregenerate humanity) and man (regenerate humanity), and not to the vegetation and land animals, which also reproduce physically. Repr. For example, see McGrath (2009). January 31st 2001 Also, the big bang proposes that earth originally formed as a hot molten ball, while the Bible states that earth was originally created as covered by water. It merely mentions that God created the fish and birds on this day and that He had “programmed” them to perform these reproductive activities during their lifetimes. Second, they believed the God of Scripture possessed some unattractive qualities. His insights reveal many of the threats facing the early Church, whether they were from cults like the Manichees or the skeptical natural philosophers of the day. Augustine. The Unfinished Commentary may be the least important of Augustine’s commentaries on Genesis for several reasons. Dr. Hugh Ross, perhaps the world’s foremost old-earth creationist, lists Augustine as a church father who favored an old-earth interpretation (Ross 2001, p. 66). Man and the rest of creation are results of conflict between these two Principles. The literal meaning of Genesis. This is not what Augustine advocated, yet, when it came to Genesis one, Augustine allowed for the possible truthfulness of “entirely different meanings” to come from the same text. Second, it does not hold the rich apologetic content that his commentary against the Manichees regularly exhibited. Augustine’s first commentary on Genesis was written with the specific goal of refuting Manichaeism and its assaults on the early chapters of the book. A simple study of the creation order reveals the chronological progression of the creation account as each of the days after the first one depend upon the completed action of an earlier day. Augustine believed God had created all things, including time, from nothing. Augustine seems to support the concept of baptismal regeneration here by writing, “. Minneapolis, Minneapolis: Bethany House. He wondered how God could have spoken words in a shapeless universe and when God did this. This is especially significant because of his tremendous influence over centuries of scholars from theologically diverse backgrounds. This provides an illustration of the dangers of allowing scientific understanding to trump Scripture. He felt that this type of activity would lead to a mockery of the faith by those who needed to be evangelized. 1:4–34. This understanding allowed him to spiritualize passages as long as the overall subject was not altered. Answers Research Journal 4:89–101. In the process of answering his own questions, he made numerous errors based on the science of his day. Instead, Augustine focused on the creation of the animal kingdom and answering some of the many questions surrounding its formation. For Augustine, a literal interpretation was occasionally different. De Genesi ad litteram (Literal commentary on Genesis) is an exegetical text on the first book of the Bible by Saint Augustine (354–430). Overall, his first commentary provides invaluable information about his early years as a believer and some outstanding critiques of the Manichean cult. He stated that if God would have also told the vegetation and land animals to be fruitful and multiply then he would have been forced to interpret it literally. As typically understood by conservative evangelicals, a literal interpretation of Scripture seeks the plain meaning of the text as if it was written in everyday language. However, his diverse teachings on these early chapters have not always helped matters. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE) most famous for his work Confessions and his City of God, is regarded as one of the Fathers of The Church in the tradition of Catholicism.In this brief essay from his The Literal Meaning of Genesis, Augustine denounces Christians who speak on subjects they know little or nothing about in an attempt to appear `wise’ among non-Christians. His apologetic interest was a response to frequent attacks on Genesis by non-Christians and what he felt were inept defenses of it by uneducated Christians. J. E. Rotelle O.S.A and E. Hill. Smither 2008, pp. God means what He says: A biblical critique of the framework hypothesis. In concluding this extended argument, Augustine wrote. In The Cambridge companion to Augustine, ed. Michael Fiedrowicz revealed that Augustine also dealt with the subject of creation in many of his other works, including Answer to an Enemy of the Law and the Prophets, Faith and the Creed, and Answer to Julian (Fiedrowicz 2002, p. 14). Here he dives into many of the scientific issues with which he was concerned. A. Roberts and J. Donaldson. For example, in his commentary against the Manichees, he not only refuted the foundational beliefs of Manichaeism, but did so in a manner in which both scholar and layman could understand. This is largely due to a failure to recognize Augustine’s context and his purpose for writing what he did. Augustine's special interest in Genesis had two roots: apologetic and theological. This commentary is particularly important for many reasons and, as such, it requires much more attention than the others. E. Stump and N. Kretzmann, pp. Perhaps Augustine’s best-known commentary on Genesis is found in his popular collection of books entitled The Confessions. Augustine also differentiated between what he believed was a literal interpretation and what might be called a hyper-literal interpretation, which was practiced by the Manichees. 1, Book 4, Chapter 33, paragraph 51–52, p. 141, italics in the original. The problem is that Augustine tries to expound on the creation of something that Scripture clearly states was not in existence yet.7 Another example of this is found in Genesis 1:2. Williams, T. 2001. These errors led him to spiritualize the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day (Augustine 2002b, II.23). 2002c. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press. As such, his mature views on the subject would not be published until his comprehensive literal commentary. Every dating method, including starlight from distant galaxies and radiometric dating techniques, are based on three assumptions. The first two - On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees and his Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis - are early works. Although the modern scientist would be unimpressed with many of his ideas, the arguments presented in this section demonstrate his keen mind and his desire to understand both God’s word and God’s world. His theological interest sprang from the critical importance of the Fall to Augustine's theology. Augustine. . Although scientific understanding has vastly improved since Augustine’s day, it is by no means infallible or static. The second major problem is that much of the modern debate is based on a misunderstanding of science and its limits. Email papers, diagrams, tables, etc. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Augustine wrestled at great lengths in attempting to understand the book of Genesis. 2010. It would be wrong to fault Augustine for how others have misused and abused his writings. He also addressed the question as to whether or not the luminaries of heaven were living beings. Thirdly, it has not been as well-read as the commentary included in his Confessions. One of the major problems Augustine faced in his literal commentaries is that he attempted to reconcile a straightforward reading of the text with the scientific understanding of his day. He remained undecided on the issue because he believed Scripture was silent concerning the subject (Augustine 2002b, II.18.38). Against heresies. Lavallee, L. 1989. He stated that the Manichees often asked why God created so many animals that are unnecessary for human beings. Thomas Williams explains that even though Augustine’s interpretation of Genesis 1 would not qualify as literal by today’s standards, Augustine viewed it as such because he was “reading the creation story as a creation story, not as (for example) the story of the Church or of individual salvation.”. In particular, this writing on Genesis magnifies his appreciation of the Lord who created new life in him in what he believed was a similar fashion to the way He created the world. In the end, Augustine praised God for being beyond man’s understanding and encouraged others to do the same (Augustine 1997, XI.31.41). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm B. Eerdmans. He explained that he did not think it was right to ascribe the words of Sirach 10:9 to a prophet as he had done earlier since “they are not found in a book by an author we are absolutely certain should be called a prophet” (Augustine 2010, I.10.3). Augustine writes: “only avoid asserting anything rashly, and something you don’t know as if you did; and remember that you are just a human being investigating the works to … These final two reasons have direct relevance to the modern controversy in the Church over the Bible’s teaching concerning the age of the earth. Age of the earth: Why it does and doesn’t matter. 1954. After opening with some introductory comments and a prayer for understanding, Book XI deals with the issue of time and eternity. St. Ambrose’s spiritual interpretations of the text eventually convinced Augustine of the reliability of the biblical account. Since these two practices are exemplified in Augustine’s writings on Genesis, readers will see why the literal historical-grammatical hermeneutic protects one from making egregious interpretive errors. Rather than recognizing the necessity of a progression of time, his a priori commitment to a timeless creation caused him to search for non-literal elements in the text. If proper biblical interpretation must be determined by the science of the day, then the meaning of God’s word must continually change along with the science. Augustine’s varying hermeneutical approach is easily noticeable in his commentaries on the Book of Genesis. Ross-Shire: Mentor. Augustine certainly used arguments similar to those in the Intelligent Design Movement. Augustine was destined to make some errors due to his reliance upon the Vetus Latina. He was concerned with refuting the Manichees, Donatists, and many others, rather than teaching about the age of the earth. Biblical creationists have repeatedly warned about the dangers of allegorizing narrative passages and reinterpreting the text based on the science of the day. This error is likely due to a mistranslation in the Septuagint, which states that waters brought forth ερπετα (erpeta), which refers to a quadruped creature. 18 Again in Book 2, Augustine … Once again, his philosophical presuppositions and the Vetus Latina would hinder him from properly exegeting the passage. Despite his occasional foray into more of a literal hermeneutic, the majority of Genesis 1 is interpreted in allegorical fashion. In his efforts to marry Genesis with the science of the day, Augustine often asserted an interpretation of Scripture that would now be deemed false. He explained. It is not uncommon to see scholars on opposite sides of a controversial subject cite him in support of their view. Finally, Augustine shared his beliefs on the proper relationship of science, reason, and faith. Moreover, the study of origins is foundational to any belief system. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNuHuG517lI. Ppi 300 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.3. plus-circle Add Review diverse teachings on these early chapters not., perhaps the biggest problem is that much of this book modern reader because of his contextual setting to. He used Jacob and Esau as examples since Jacob was holding Esau ’ four... Him to reject a literal understanding of these questions concerns the phase in which the was... 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