Marriage and virginity : the excellence of marriage ; Holy virginity ; the excellence of widowhood ; Adulterous marriages ; Continence

Marriage and Virginity: The Excellence of Marriage, Holy Virginity, The Excellence of Widowhood, Adulterous Marriages, Continence This volume contains three works of Saint Augustine of Hippo, all written in response to Pelagian heresies. Julian, a bishop who espoused many Pelagian teachings, wrote letters to friends, bishops, and the pope to promote his beliefs and ask for what he considered to be a fair hearing. These letters were passed on to Augustine, usually by the original recipients, in the hope that he could respond to them by expounding on the true Church teaching. In Marriage and Desire, Augustine confirms both the goodness of marriage and the Christian belief in original sin. He outlines three goods of Christian marriage: fidelity, children, and sacrament (as a lifelong union which images that of Christ and his Church). Even though children born in a Christian marriage are born to baptized parents, they are still born with original sin, and must therefore be baptized to be saved by Jesus. Answer to the Two Letters of the Pelagians is dedicated to Pope Boniface, who forwarded the letters in question to Augustine. Augustine addresses teachings on free will, faith and grace as gifts from God, baptism, and marital union. Julian based a number of his arguments on Scripture, especially the letters of Paul, so Augustine uses the same passages in context to show how Julian misinterpreted them. Julian wrote several books in response to the first book of Marriage and Desire. Once Augustine received those writings in full, he replied in Answer to Julian. Augustine's statements here rely heavily on the sacred tradition of the Church. He refutes many of Julian's claims by referring to bishops in both the East and the West throughout the centuries who taught the truths that the Church and Augustine now defend.--From publisher's website This volume presents new translations of five of Augustine's works: The Excellence of Marriage, Holy Virginity, The Excellence of Widowhood, Adulterous Marriages, and Continence. These works discuss marriage, sexuality, procreation, and virginity (or celibacy) and their place in Christian life and salvation. As is often the case, the specific content and direction of these works is guided by Augustine's desire to address and correct what he saw as errors propagated among Christians at the time. Some of these errors promoted marriage over celibacy; while others insisted celibacy is the superior path to holiness. Overall, Augustine strove to highlight the goods of both states of life, and to emphasize that while celibacy might be the “greater good,” practicing it does not automatically make one a better person or Christian than someone who is married. Augustine's opinions and beliefs on these subjects changed over the years before, during, and after his conversion. Presenting his works in chronological order in this volume, therefore, allows the reader to follow the development of his thinking. In 1990, New City Press, in conjunction with the Augustinian Heritage Institute, began the project known as: The Works of Saint Augustine, A Translation for the 21st Century. The plan is to translate and publish all 132 works of Saint Augustine, his entire corpus into modern English. This represents the first time in which The Works of Saint Augustine will all be translated into English. Many existing translations were often archaic or faulty, and the scholarship was outdated. New City Press is proud to offer the best modern translations available. The Works of Saint Augustine, A Translation for the 21st Century will be translated into 49 published books. To date, 41 books have been published by NCP containing 93 of The Works of Saint Augustine, A Translation for the 21st Century. Augustine's writings are useful to anyone interested in patristics, church history, theology and Western civilization. -- Publisher Heresies, Memorandum To Augustine, To Orosius In Refutation Of The Priscillianists And Origenists, Arian Sermon, Answer To An Arian Sermon, Debate With Maximinus, Answer To Maximinus, Answer To An Enemy Of The Law And The Prophets / Heresies -- Memorandum To Augustine -- To Orosius In Refutation Of The Priscillianists And Origenists -- Arian Sermon -- Answer To An Arian Sermon -- Debate With Maximinus -- Answer To Maximinus -- Answer To An Enemy Of The Law And The Prophets. [saint Augustine] ; Introduction, Translation And Notes, Roland J. Teske ; Editor, John E. Rotelle. ... Translation Of Six Works Of Augustine ... All Dealing With ... Heresy, Along With Two Works By Other Authors To Which Augustine Is Replying.--p. 11. Augustinian Heritage Institute. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. pt. 1, v. 1. The confessions pt. 1, v. 5. The Trinity pt. 1, v. 11. Teaching Christianity pt. 1, v. 25 pt. 3, v. 1. Sermons on the Old Testament, 1-19 pt. 3, v. 2. Sermons on the Old Testament, 20-50 pt. 3, v. 3. Sermons on the New Testament, 51-94 pt. 3, v. 4. Sermons on the New Testament, 94A-147A pt. 3, v. 5. Sermons on the New Testament, 148-183 pt. 3, v. 6. Sermons on the liturgical seasons, 184-229 pt. 3, v. 7. Sermons on the liturgical seasons, 230-272B pt. 3, v. 8. Sermons on the saints, 273-305A pt. 3, v. 9. Sermons on the saints, 306-340A v. 10. Sermons on various subjects, 341-400. "As the psalms are a microcosm of the Old Testament, so the Expositions of the Psalms can be seen as a microcosm of Augustinian thought. In the Book of Psalms are to be found the history of the people of Israel, the theology and spirituality of the Old Covenant, and a treasury of human experience expressed in prayer and poetry. So too does the work of expounding the psalms recapitulate and focus the experiences of Augustine's personal life, his theological reflections and his pastoral concerns as Bishop of Hippo."--Publisher's website " ... Translation of six works of Augustine ... all dealing with ... heresy, along with two works by other authors to which Augustine is replying."--Page 11 The Past Masters fourth release of The Works of Saint Augustine full-text database contains forty-one volumes of the printed series