Comments on: Mackey on Augustine: The Violence of the Letter and the Salubrity of Faith http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/ Non intratur in veritatem nisi per caritatem. St. Augustine Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:32:55 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Micah Tillman http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1432 Micah Tillman Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:49:44 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1432 :-) I shall have to do so. Thanks for the clarifications. :-) I shall have to do so.

Thanks for the clarifications.

]]> By: Cynthia R. Nielsen http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1430 Cynthia R. Nielsen Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:55:24 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1430 Micah, I would recommend reading the Confessions--it is not only an easy read, but it is a rewarding read. A short answer to your question particularly given the context of the quote and what it is addressing in the Confessions is that in a Manichean world, even the gods are corporeal. Thus, it is not until book VII that Augustine is given the "tools" that he needs via the Platonists for conceiving God in a non-corporeal way. Best, Cynthia Micah,

I would recommend reading the Confessions–it is not only an easy read, but it is a rewarding read.

A short answer to your question particularly given the context of the quote and what it is addressing in the Confessions is that in a Manichean world, even the gods are corporeal. Thus, it is not until book VII that Augustine is given the “tools” that he needs via the Platonists for conceiving God in a non-corporeal way.

Best,
Cynthia

]]> By: Micah Tillman http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1429 Micah Tillman Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:45:00 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1429 Excellent. I thought that was what dualism meant in this context. To what, then, does "materialism" refer? Excellent. I thought that was what dualism meant in this context.

To what, then, does “materialism” refer?

]]> By: Cynthia R. Nielsen http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1428 Cynthia R. Nielsen Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:51:34 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1428 No, it means that Star Wars presents a kind of cosmic dualism, which is a category under which both Star Wars and Manicheanism would fall : ) No, it means that Star Wars presents a kind of cosmic dualism, which is a category under which both Star Wars and Manicheanism would fall : )

]]> By: The Scylding http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1427 The Scylding Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:44:32 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1427 Which means that the Star Wars universe is Manichean? But it is interesting how many heresies are known by their overt rationalism - kind of links to my comments on the previous post. Which means that the Star Wars universe is Manichean?

But it is interesting how many heresies are known by their overt rationalism – kind of links to my comments on the previous post.

]]> By: Cynthia R. Nielsen http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1424 Cynthia R. Nielsen Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:14:46 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1424 The dualism of which Mackey speaks in reference to the Manicheans is a cosmic dualism in which you have a god of light and a god of darkness (both of which are conceived as corporeal) battling against one another--one "god" is not greater than the other and hence the dualism between two balanced powers. The dualism of which Mackey speaks in reference to the Manicheans is a cosmic dualism in which you have a god of light and a god of darkness (both of which are conceived as corporeal) battling against one another–one “god” is not greater than the other and hence the dualism between two balanced powers.

]]> By: Micah Tillman http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-1421 Micah Tillman Mon, 01 Oct 2007 01:38:37 +0000 http://percaritatem.com/2007/09/30/mackey-on-augustine-the-violence-of-the-letter-and-the-salubrity-of-faith/#comment-1421 What a fascinating post! I am only familiar with a few of Augustine's texts, and unfortunately the Confessions isn't one of them. (De Libero Arbitrio is my favorite). I have a question about Mackey's statement that the Manichaeans are both materialists and dualists. Dualism "is said in several ways" I am sure, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how it is possible to be materialist (a monist position that says everything is matter, yes?) and dualist (a position which says there is a fundamental dichotomy in being, or between being and what is beyond being, or in the divine, etc., yes?). If I knew more about Augustine's life I'm sure I'd know enough about Manichaean philosophy to understand Mackey. Or if I had read Mackey's book . . . . So much more self-education to be done on my part. Thanks for a great post! What a fascinating post! I am only familiar with a few of Augustine’s texts, and unfortunately the Confessions isn’t one of them. (De Libero Arbitrio is my favorite).

I have a question about Mackey’s statement that the Manichaeans are both materialists and dualists. Dualism “is said in several ways” I am sure, but I’m having a hard time figuring out how it is possible to be materialist (a monist position that says everything is matter, yes?) and dualist (a position which says there is a fundamental dichotomy in being, or between being and what is beyond being, or in the divine, etc., yes?).

If I knew more about Augustine’s life I’m sure I’d know enough about Manichaean philosophy to understand Mackey. Or if I had read Mackey’s book . . . . So much more self-education to be done on my part.

Thanks for a great post!

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