The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers: The Will and Original Sin between Origen and Augustine

The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers: The Will and Original Sin between Origen and Augustine book cover

The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers: The Will and Original Sin between Origen and Augustine

Author(s): Isabella Image (Author)

  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • Publication Date: October 10, 2017
  • Edition: 1st
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 252 pages
  • ISBN-10: 0198806647
  • ISBN-13: 9780198806646

Book Description

While he is more commonly known for his Trinitiarian works and theology, this study assesses mid-fourth-century bishop Hilary of Poitiers’ view of the human condition. Isabella Image shows that the Commentary on Psalm 118 is more closely related to Origen’s than previously thought. Image explains how his articulations of sin, body and soul, the Fall and the will all parallel or echo Origen’s views in this work, but not necessarily in his Matthew Commentary. Hilary has a doctrine of original sin (‘sins of our origin’, peccata originis), which differs from the individual personal sins and for which we are individually accountable. He also articulates a fallen will which is in thrall to disobedience and needs God’s help, something God always gives as long as we show the initiative. Hilary’s idea of the fallen will may have developed in tangent with Origen’s thought, which uses Stoic ideas on the process of human action in order to articulate the constraints on purely rational responses. Hilary in turn influences Augustine, who writes against the Pelagian bishop Julian of Eclanum citing Hilary as an example of an earlier writer with original sin. Since Hilary is known to have used Origen’s work, and Augustine is known to have used Hilary’s, Hilary appears to be one of the stepping-stones between these two great giants of the early church as the doctrines of original sin and the fallen will developed.

The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers not only identifies Hilary’s anthropological thought, but also places it in the current of theological development of the fourth century. It considers reception of Origen in the mid-fourth century, before the criticisms of Epiphanius and the debates in the Egyptian monastic communities. This work also contributes to understanding of the tradition from which Augustine received his doctrine of original sin.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Isabella Image’s book is well written and certainly worth spending time on. The author manages to present the relatively many aspects of the book’s theme in a clear and coherent way…the description of the relation between Hilary’s and Augustine’s anthropology is, however, enlightening. Thus, Image’s book also is an important contribution to the larger picture of the development of early Christian anthropology…Image’s book is hereby recommended to all who want to know more about important positions in early Christian theological anthropology.” — Anders-Christian Jacobsen, Aarhus University, The Journal of Religion

“this study is a welcome addition to scholarly reflections on patristic theological anthropology in general. More particularly, it offers some impotant and thought-provoking arguments that should have consequences for our understanding of Augustine’s theology and its sources. Thus, it will be of interest not only for those studying Hilary of Poitiers or patristic theological anthropology, but also for scholars of Augustine and Origen.” — Andrew C. Chronister, Augustiniana

“Image’s book is highly interesting and promotes further investigation.”–Ilaria L.E. Ramelli, Reading Religion

About the Author

Isabella Image studied Classics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. After time working as a civil servant she completed her doctorate at Harris Manchester, Oxford.

View on Amazon

{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Book”,”name”:”The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers: The Will and Original Sin between Origen and Augustine”,”image”:”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ozklamtJL._SY342_.jpg”,”author”:{“@type”:”Person”,”name”:”Isabella Image (Author)”},”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”Oxford University Press”},”datePublished”:”October 10, 2017″,”isbn”:”9780198806646″,”numberOfPages”:252,”inLanguage”:”English”,”description”:”While he is more commonly known for his Trinitiarian works and theology, this study assesses mid-fourth-century bishop Hilary of Poitiers’ view of the human condition. Isabella Image shows that the Commentary on Psalm 118 is more closely related to Origen’s than previously thought. Image explains how his articulations of sin, body and soul, the Fall and the will all parallel or echo Origen’s views in this work, but not necessarily in his Matthew Commentary. Hilary has a doctrine of original sin (‘sins of our origin’, peccata originis), which differs from the individual personal sins and for which we are individually accountable. He also articulates a fallen will which is in thrall to disobedience and needs God’s help, something God always gives as long as we show the initiative. Hilary’s idea of the fallen will may have developed in tangent with Origen’s thought, which uses Stoic ideas on the process of human action in order to articulate the constraints on purely rational responses. Hilary in turn influences Augustine, who writes against the Pelagian bishop Julian of Eclanum citing Hilary as an example of an earlier writer with original sin. Since Hilary is known to have used Origen’s work, and Augustine is known to have used Hilary’s, Hilary appears to be one of the stepping-stones between these two great giants of the early church as the doctrines of original sin and the fallen will developed.The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers not only identifies Hilary’s anthropological thought, but also places it in the current of theological development of the fourth century. It considers reception of Origen in the mid-fourth century, before the criticisms of Epiphanius and the debates in the Egyptian monastic communities. This work also contributes to understanding of the tradition from which Augustine received his doctrine of original sin.”,”bookEdition”:”1st”,”url”:”https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198806647/”,”bookFormat”:”http://schema.org/EBook”,”additionalType”:”http://schema.org/PDF”,”fileSize”:”47 MB”,”accessibilityFeature”:[“login required”,”member access only”],”accessibilitySummary”:”PDF version available to authenticated members only. File size: 47 MB.”}

未经允许不得转载:Wow! eBook » The Human Condition in Hilary of Poitiers: The Will and Original Sin between Origen and Augustine