• Start
  • Werke
  • Einführung Anleitung Mitarbeit Sponsoren / Mitarbeiter Copyrights Kontakt Impressum
Bibliothek der Kirchenväter
Suche
DE EN FR
Werke Augustinus von Hippo (354-430) De moribus Ecclesiae catholicae et de moribus Manichaeorum On the Morals of the Catholic Church and of the Manichaeans
On the Morals of the Catholic Church.
Chapter 1.--How the Pretensions of the Manichaeans are to Be Refuted. Two Manichaean Falsehoods.

1.

Enough, probably, has been done in our other books 1 in the way of answering the ignorant and profane attacks which the Manichaeans make on the law, which is called the Old Testament, in a spirit of vainglorious boasting, and with the approval of the uninstructed. Here, too, I may shortly touch upon the subject. For every one with average intelligence can easily see that the explanation of the Scriptures should be sought for from those who are the professed teachers of the Scriptures; and that it may happen, and indeed always happens, that many things seem absurd to the ignorant, which, when they are explained by the learned, appear all the more excellent, and are received in the explanation with the greater pleasure on account of the obstructions which made it difficult to reach the meaning. This commonly happens as regards the holy books of the Old Testament, if only the man who meets with difficulties applies to a pious teacher, and not to a profane critic, and if he begins his inquiries from a desire to find truth, and not in rash opposition. And should the inquirer meet with some, whether bishops or presbyters, or any officials or ministers of the Catholic Church, who either avoid in all cases opening up mysteries, or, content with simple faith, have no desire for more recondite knowledge, he must not despair of finding the knowledge of the truth in a case where neither are all able to teach to whom the inquiry is addressed, nor are all inquirers worthy of learning the truth. Diligence and piety are both necessary: on the one hand, we must have knowledge to find truth, and, on the other hand, we must deserve to get the knowledge.


  1. [This is commonly supposed to have been the first work of any importance written by the Author against Manichaeism. What he here refers to it is not easy to conjecture.--A.H.N.] ↩

pattern
  Drucken   Fehler melden
  • Text anzeigen
  • Bibliographische Angabe
  • Scans dieser Version
Übersetzungen dieses Werks
Des moeurs de l'Église Catholique et des moeurs des Manichéens vergleichen
On the Morals of the Catholic Church and of the Manichaeans

Inhaltsangabe

Theologische Fakultät, Patristik und Geschichte der alten Kirche
Miséricorde, Av. Europe 20, CH 1700 Fribourg

© 2023 Gregor Emmenegger
Impressum
Datenschutzerklärung