Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Augusine's search for the nature of God's exisistence as well as the origin of
evil, reaches a climax in Book 7 of his Confessions. This study assumes the
position that Augustine strives to find answers to the above mentioned two
questions in the first six books of the Confessions. The answers to both these
questions were vitally important to Augustine, since it would then convince him
to convert to the Christian faith.
Augustine repeatedly thought he grasped the true answer to the existence of
God and the origin and the nature of evil but he was disillusioned time and
again. His quest for an answer started with his reading of Cicero's Hortentius
(Conf. 3.4.7), a book that urged Augustine to search for Truth. Augustine then
joined the Manicheans, a sect claiming that their doctrine was based on reason
and contained the Truth (Conf. 3.6.10). Augustine believed that the Manicheans
could resolve his quest for answers to the existence and nature of both God and
evil. The Manichean intellectual and scientific exposition of the cosmos allowed
Augustine to imagine God and evil as opposing substances. Eventually,
promted by his own intellect, Augustine discovered weaknesses in their theories
(Conf. 5.3.3-5.6.10). Augustine's final break with the Manicheans, after nine
years as an adherent, came when he heard the sermons of Ambrose of Milan.
Not only was Augustine impressed by Ambrose's eloquence but his sermons
also embodied an interpretation of Platonism in Christian terms. Augustine's
reading of the Neoplatonic books in a Latin translation urged him to turn into
himself (Conf. 7.10.16) and search for God there. Once Augustine could
pronounce upon the intelligible existence of God, his inquiry into the origin of
evil resolved itself (7.12.18). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Augustinus se soeke na die bestaanswyse van God en die aard en onstaan van
die kwaad bereik 'n klimaks in Boek 7 van die Confessiones. In hierdie studie
word daar van die standpunt uitgegaan dat Augustinus onder andere in die
eerste ses boeke van die Confessiones poog om antwoorde te kry op
bogenoemde twee vraagstukke. Antwoorde op beide hierdie vrae was van
kardinale belang, aangesien dit Augustinus sou oortuig om hom tot die
Christelike geloof te bekeer.
Augustinus het herhaaldelik gepoog om die ware antwoorde op die vraag na
bestaanwyse van God sowel as die oorsprong en die aard van die kwaad te
vind. Hy was egter telke male ontnugter. Augustinus se soeke het begin toe hy
in aanraking gekom het met Cicero se Hortensius (Conf. 3.4.7), 'n boek wat
Augustinus aangemoedig het om die Waarheid na te jaag. Gevolglik het
Augustinus by die Manicheërs aangesluit, aangesien dié sekte geglo het dat
hulle leerstellinge gebaseer is op die rede en sodoende die volle waarheid bevat
(Cant. 3.6.10). Augustinus het geglo dat die Manicheërs sy soektog na
antwoorde op die vraag van God en die kwaad se bestaanswyse kon oplos. Die
Manicheërs se intellektuele en wetenskaplike uiteensetting van die kosmos het
Augustinus toegelaat om God en die kwaad as teenstrydige entiteite te beskou.
Ongeveer nege jaar na sy aansluiting by die Manicheërs, aangemoedig deur sy
eie intellek, het Augustinus die swak punte in die Manichese leerstellinge ontdek
(Cant. 5.3.3-5.6.10). Die finale breek met die Manicheërs het gekom toe
Augustinus die preke van Ambrosius in Milaan gehoor het. Nie alleen was
Augustinus ingenome met Ambrosius se welsprekendheid nie, maar sy preke het
ook die interpretasie van Platonisme in Christelike terme beliggaam. Die
Neoplatoniese leerstellinge het Augustinus aangemoedig om na homself, in
homself te draai (Conf. 7.10.16) en vir God daar te gaan soek. Sodra
Augustinus kon verklaar dat God in die vorm van 'n kenbare wese bestaan, het
sy soeke na die oorsprong en die aard van die kwaad dit self opgelos (Cant.
7.12.18).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52360 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Du Plessis, A. F. J. (Anna Francina Johanna) |
| Contributors | Kotze. M. A., Thom, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 116 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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