Augustine's Journey: From Manichaeism to Rhetoric

Manicheism

Religious movement founded by Mani, 216-277 AD.

Dualism

Belief in two co-eternal opposing principles.

Materialism

View that only physical matter exists.

Gnosticism

Belief in secret knowledge for salvation.

Mani

Iranian prophet, founder of Manicheism.

Evil's Origin

Augustine questioned how evil exists if God is good.

Augustine's Objections

Three main issues Augustine had with Christianity.

Public Teacher of Rhetoric

Augustine's role in Milan at age 30.

Bishop Faustus

Manichean bishop who influenced Augustine's beliefs.

Skepticism

Theory that certain knowledge is impossible.

Categories

Aristotle's classification of existence and attributes.

Substance

Being independent of other beings.

Accident

Being dependent on other beings.

Quantity

Measurement aspects like number and size.

Quality

Characteristics like color and shape.

Relation

Connections like maternity or superiority.

Action

Activities performed, e.g., driving or cooking.

Passion

Experiencing states like humiliation or murder.

When

Temporal aspects like today or tomorrow.

Where

Spatial aspects like location or position.

Posture

Physical stance like standing or sitting.

Habit

States like being clothed or armed.

Augustine's Education

Studied liberal arts and philosophy for pleasure.

Astrology

Belief in celestial influence on human affairs.

Carthage

City where Augustine taught Rhetoric.

Rome

City where Augustine sought quieter students.

Milan

City where Augustine became a public teacher.

Monica

Augustine's mother, who followed him to Milan.

Ambrose

Bishop of Milan, influential in Augustine's life.

Rhetoric

Art of effective or persuasive speaking.

Philosophy

Study of fundamental questions about existence.

Truth

Augustine's main objective in his search.

Christianity

Religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Paganism

Polytheistic beliefs preceding Christianity.

Eastern Manichaeism

Survived longer in the east than the west.

Western Manichaeism

Faded away after the 14th century.

Augustine's Sinful Tendencies

Justified by Manichaean beliefs as beyond control.

Carthage's Students

Discipline issues led Augustine to seek Rome.

Augustine's Ambition

Driven by desire for knowledge and pleasure.

Manichaean Scriptures

Textual sources spread from China to Rome.

Manichaean Churches

Established across vast geographical regions.

Philosophical Flaws

Augustine found Manicheism lacking in deep truths.

Nine Years

Duration of his commitment to Manicheism.

Augustine's Disillusionment

Disappointment with students' behavior in Rome.

Augustine's Teaching Style

Focused on honesty despite financial motivations.

Augustine's Influence

Manichaean ideas shaped his later thoughts.

Augustine's Search for Knowledge

Driven by ambition and desire for truth.

Manicheism's Rivalry

Competed with Christianity for followers.

Augustine's Conversion

Shifted from Manicheism to Christianity over time.