Demonstrative proof in defence of God : a study of Titus of Bostra's Contra Manichaeos : the work's sources, aims and relation to its contemporary theology / by Nils Arne Pedersen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pedersen, Nils Arne, 1959-

Series:

Nag Hammadi and Manichaean studies ; 56.

Nag Hammadi and Manichaean studies, 0929-2470 ; v. 56

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Titus, of Bostra, Bishop of Bostra, active approximately 362-378. Against the Manichees.

Titus.

Manichaeism--Controversial literature--History and criticism.

Manichaeism.

Manichaeism--Controversial literature.

Physical Description:

xv, 575 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2004.

Summary:

This is the first extensive study of a major Patristic work, showing its importance for the history of Church and theology, Manichaean studies and the use of ancient philosophy. It includes a critical text and translation of central passages.

Contents:

1 The main interpretation 1

Excursion: Manichaeism as Christian Gnosis 6

III Receptions, editions and scholarship history of Contra Manichaeos 66

1 Knowledge of Titus in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages 66

2 Reception of and scholarship on Contra Manichaeos from the end of the 16th century to De Lagarde's editions of the text in 1859 69

3 Contra Manichaeos as a source of knowledge on Manichaeism 78

4 Titus as a theological and philosophical writer 89

5 Text transmission and history of editions 109

IV The historical and literary context for Titus of Bostra's Contra Manichaeos 120

2 The province of Arabia, conflicts between pagans and Catholics and the dating of Contra Manichaeos 120

Excursion: Other works by Titus 128

3 Heresiology and anti-Manichaeism 129

Excursion: Possible use of various patristic sources in Titus 146

V The audience for Contra Manichaeos and the portrayal of Manichaeism that Titus wished to present to them 158

1 The two audiences 158

2 Titus's portrayal of Manichaeism as barbarism, irrationalism and as a philosophy 166

3 Titus's portrayal of Manichaeism as determinism and immorality 171

VI The Manichaean texts used by Titus of Bostra 177

1 The relevance of the problem for this study 177

2 Heraclianus's information and Adda's works 178

3 The Manichaean source in Contra Manichaeos I + III.4-5 186

4 Other Manichaean sources in Contra Manichaeos Books III-IV 199

5 The Manichaean criticism of the Creator God in Contra Manichaeos III.7 206

b Discussion of the non-Catholic polemical interpretations of the OT 209

c The philosophical and Marcionite background for the idea of the Creator's ignorance 216

d The philosophical and Gnostic background for the idea of the Creator's [characters not reproducible] 225

e The positive evaluation of man's acquisition of knowledge in Gnostic texts 234

f Comparison with the original Manichaean literature 237

g Comparison with Augustine's portrayal of Manichaeism 243

h Comparison with Emperor Julian's treatise: Contra Galilaeos 249

i Problems and different solutions 251

VII Titus of Bostra's philosophical position 255

1 Titus's knowledge of philosophers and philosophical texts 255

2 Titus's concept of God and his basic philosophical position 259

3 The "common concepts" 280

4 Titus's philosophical psychology 297

VIII Titus of Bostra's interpretation of the Paradise narrative 320

2 The image of God in man 321

3 God's foreknowledge and man's disobedience 326

4 Comparison with earlier writers 331

5 Death as a benefit 343

a Titus's view of death in Book II and Book IV 343

b Death did not harm man 349

c The background to these ideas in the earlier tradition 353

6 Summarising remarks 363

IX Comparison between the exegesis of Genesis in Titus of Bostra and in a number of writers in "the Antiochene School" 366

1 Plan for the following comparison 366

2 Outline of the interpretation of the Paradise narrative in Eusebius of Caesarea 369

3 Comparison with Eusebius of Emesa's interpretation of the Paradise narrative 371

4 Comparison with Diodore of Tarsus's interpretation of the Paradise narrative 379

5 Problems concerning Coisliniana, fragment no. 115 382

6 Comparison with Theodore of Mopsuestia's interpretation of the Paradise narrative in his commentary on Genesis, illustrated by other Theodore fragments 392

7 Comparison with Theodore of Mopsuestia's work: Against those who say that men sin by nature and not by intention 407

8 Comparison with the Constitutiones Apostolorum 414

9 Hypotheses to explain similarities between interpretations of the Paradise narrative 415

X Summary of the study's most important conclusions 420

XI Critical examinations of the text 424.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [475]-516) and indexes.

ISBN:

9004138838

OCLC:

54974497