Kirjahaku

Phillip Cary argues that Augustine invented or created the concept of self as an inner space--as space into which one can enter and in which one can find God. This concept of inwardness, says Cary, has worked its way deeply into the intellectual heritage of the West and many Western individuals have experienced themselves as inner selves. After surveying the idea of inwardness in Augustine's predecessors, Cary offers a re-examination of Augustine's own writings, making the controversial point that in his early writings Augustine appears to hold that the human soul is quite literally divine. Cary goes on to contend that the crucial Book 7 of the Confessions is not a historical report of Augustine's "conversion" experience, but rather an explanation of his intellectual development over time.

In this book, Phillip Cary argues that Augustine invented the concept of the self as a private inner space-a space into which one can enter and in which one can find God. Although it has often been suggested that Augustine in some way inaugurated the Western tradition of inwardness, this is the first study to pinpoint what was new about Augustine's philosophy of inwardness and situate it within a narrative of his intellectual development and his relationship to the Platonist tradition. Augustine invents the inner self, Cary argues, in order to solve a particular conceptual problem. Augustine is attracted to the Neoplatonist inward turn, which located God within the soul, yet remains loyal to the orthodox Catholic teaching that the soul is not divine. He combines the two emphases by urging us to turn "in then up"--to enter the inner world of the self before gazing at the divine Light above the human mind. Cary situates Augustine's idea of the self historically in both the Platonist and the Christian traditions. The concept of private inner self, he shows, is a development within the history of the Platonist concept of intelligibility or intellectual vision, which establishes a kind of kinship between the human intellect and the divine things it sees. Though not the only Platonist in the Christian tradition, Augustine stands out for his devotion to this concept of intelligibility and his willingness to apply it even to God. This leads him to downplay the doctrine that God is incomprehensible, as he is convinced that it is natural for the mind's eye, when cleansed of sin, to see and understand God. In describing Augustine's invention of the inner self, Cary's fascinating book sheds new light on Augustine's life and thought, and shows how Augustine's position developed into the more orthodox Augustine we know from his later writings.

Augustine's epochal doctrine of grace is often portrayed as a break from his earlier Platonism, but in Inner Grace, Phillip Cary argues it should be seen instead as the way Augustines Platonism developed as he read the apostle Paul. Augustines concept of grace as an inner gift that moves, turns and strengthens the will from within requires a Platonist conception of the soul's inner relation to the Good. What he adds to this conception is that grace is needed not only for the mind to see God but also for the will to turn away from lower goods and love God as its eternal Good, and even for it to choose faith in Christ, the temporal road by which the soul journeys to God. Thus over the course of Augustine's career the scope of the soul's need for grace expands outward from intellect to love and then to faith. At every stage, Augustine insists that divine grace does not compromise or coerce the human will but frees, helps and strengthens it, precisely because grace is not an external force but an inner gift of delight. But as his polemic against the Pelagians develops, increasingly more is attributed to grace and less to the power of free will. At the end of his career this results in an explicit doctrine of predestination, according to which it is ultimately God who chooses who shall be saved. Behind predestination therefore is divine election, which Augustine understands as God choosing some rather than others for salvation. This contrasts with the Biblical doctrine of election, Cary argues, in which some are chosen for the blessing of others: e.g., Israel for the nations and Christ for the world. In this Biblical doctrine, grace and blessing are external rather than inner gifts, because they always come to us from others outside us.

We are used to thinking of words as signs of inner thoughts. In Outward Signs, Philip Cary argues that Augustine invented this expressionist semiotics, where words are outward signs expressing an inward will to communicate, in an epochal departure from ancient philosopical semiotics, where signs are means of inference, as smoke is a sign of fire. Augustine uses his new theory of signs to give an account of Biblical authority, explaining why an authoritative external teaching is needed in addition to the inward teaching of Christ as divine Wisdom, which is conceived in terms drawn from Platonist epistemology. In fact for Augustine we literally learn nothing from words or any other outward sign, because the truest form of knowledge is a kind of Platonist vision, seeing what is inwardly present to the mind. Nevertheless, because our mind's eye is diseased by sin we need the help of external signs as admonitions or reminders pointing us in the right direction, so that we may look and see for ourselves. Even our knowledge of other persons is ultimately a matter not of trusting their words but of seeing their minds with our minds. Thus Cary argues here that, for Augustine, outward signs are useful but ultimately powerless because no bodily thing has power to convey something inward to the soul. This means that there can be no such thing as an efficacious external means of grace. The sacraments, which Augustine was the first to describe as outward signs of inner grace, signify what is necessary for salvation but do not confer it. Baptism, for example, is necessary for salvation, but its power is found not in water or word but in the inner unity, charity and peace of the church. Even the flesh of Christ is necessary but not efficacious, an external sign to use without clinging to it.

This book offers a creative and illuminating discussion of Protestant theology. Veteran teacher Phillip Cary explains how Luther's theology arose from the Christian tradition, particularly from the spirituality of Augustine. Luther departed from the Augustinian tradition and inaugurated distinctively Protestant theology when he identified the gospel that gives us Christ as its key concept. More than any other theologian, Luther succeeds in carrying out the Protestant intention of putting faith in the gospel of Christ alone. Cary also explores the consequences of Luther's teachings as they unfold in the history of Protestantism.

Explore how the roots of the ancient Christian tradition inform and shape faithfulness todayThe Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible enlists leading theologians to read and interpret scripture creedally for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other orthodox Christians did for their times and places. A rich resource for preachers, teachers, students, and study groups, the BTC provides guidance for reading the Bible under the rule of faith. Each volume in the series includes● a Christological focus and framework grounded in the Nicene Creed● connections between biblical interpretation and today's social issues● applications for contemporary faith and life● devotional depth for meditation and reflection● insights from literature, philosophy, culture, and moreIn this addition to the series, Phillip Cary presents a theological exegesis of Jonah.Ultimately the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible demonstrates the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible.

A talented teacher unpacks the riches of traditional Christian spirituality for Christians burdened by the guilt and anxiety of introspective, in-my-heart spiritual techniques. Phillip Cary explains that knowing God is a gradual, long-term process that comes through the gospel experienced in Christian community. The first edition has sold over 17,000 copies. The expanded edition includes a new afterword that offers further insights since the first edition was published over ten years ago.

El Credo Niceno. Una introducci n de Phillip Cary se erige como un recurso esencial para aquellos que buscan comprender la esencia de la fe cristiana y su historia. El Credo Niceno ha sido una piedra angular en la confesi n de la fe cristiana a lo largo de los siglos. Comprender este contexto hist rico es vital para apreciar la profundidad y la necesidad de un credo que defina claramente qui n es Dios, qui n es Jesucristo y la funci n del Esp ritu Santo. En esta obra introductoria comprender s de la mano del autor los siguientes elementos que son fundamentales para la fe cristiana: El fundamento de la fe cristiana: a los 1,700 a os de su celebraci n, explora el contexto hist rico del credo, su origen en el Concilio de Nicea (325 d. C.) y su defensa de la divinidad de Cristo ante las ense anzas de Arrio, adem s de otras afirmaciones cristol gicas y trinitarias fundamentales para la fe cristiana.M s que un an lisis, una exploraci n: no solamente explica cada afirmaci n del credo, sino que revela los debates teol gicos que dieron forma a esta confesi n esencial.Una gu a imprescindible para l deres y creyentes: explica el credo de una manera que desaf a a esc pticos y cristianos a reconsiderar su significado en el mundo actual.Lenguaje claro y atractivo: Cary convierte un tema teol gico profundo en una lectura din mica y accesible, ideal para fortalecer la fe y el entendimiento cristiano.Unidad en la fe cristiana: un recurso clave para pastores, maestros y creyentes en general que buscan comprender y compartir una confesi n com n m s all de denominaciones.El Credo Niceno no es solo un comentario, sino una invitaci n a profundizar en la comprensi n de la fe cristiana. Explora junto con el Dr. Phillip Cary todos los elementos que te ayudar n a recordar nuestra herencia y te desafiar n a vivir en la plenitud de la verdad que el credo representa.The Nicene Creed. An Introduction by Phillip Cary stands as an essential resource for those seeking to understand the essence of the Christian faith and its history. The Nicene Creed has been a cornerstone in the Christian confession of faith throughout the centuries, and understanding this historical context is vital to appreciating the depth and necessity of a creed that clearly defines who God is, who Jesus Christ is, and the role of the Holy Spirit. In this introductory work you will understand from the author's guide the following elements that are fundamental to Christian faith: The substance of the Christian faith: 1,700 years after its celebration, it explores the historical context of the creed, its origin at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) and its defense of the divinity of Christ in the face of Arius' teachings in addition to other Christological and Trinitarian affirmations that are crucial to the Christian faith.More than an analysis, an -exploration: it not only explains each creedal affirmation but reveals the theological debates that shaped this foundational confession.A must-have guide for leaders and -believers: it explains the creed in a way that challenges skeptics and Christians alike to reconsider its meaning in the contemporary world.Clear and engaging -language: Cary turns a deep theological topic into a dynamic and easy-to-read resource, ideal for strengthening one's faith and Christian understanding.Unity in the Christian -faith: a key resource for pastors, teachers, and believers in general who seek to understand and share a common confession that transcends denominations.

Nikean uskontunnustuksen perustekstin laatimisesta tulee vuonna 2025 kuluneeksi 1700 vuotta. Yhdysvaltalaisen Eastern Universityn filosofian professori Phillip Cary kuvaa teoksessaan "Nikean uskontunnustus - Lyhyt johdatus" uskontunnustuksen historiaa ja avaa sen teologista rikkautta sana sanalta.Kuopion piispa Jari Jolkkonen suosittele kirjaa seuraavin sanankääntein:”Nikean uskontunnustus on kiitoslaulu, aarreaitta, rajapyykki ja opasviitta. Se kertoo tiivistetysti, kuka Jumala on ja mitä hän lahjoittaa. Phillip Caryn kommentaari avaa tunnustuksen sisältöä luotettavasti ja lukijaystävällisesti. Sujuvan käännöksen ansiosta kirja sopii kenelle tahansa, joka tahtoo perehtyä kristittyjen yhteiseen uskoon.”Helsingin yliopiston dogmatiikan professori Olli-Pekka Vainio kirjoittaa suosituksessaan:”Cary pureutuu kristinuskon keskeisimmän konsiilin ajatteluun taidolla ja syvällisyydellä tuoden sen nykylukijan ulottuville ihailtavan selkeästi ja kiinnostavasti. Kirja jokaiselle, joka haluaa ymmärtää paremmin, kuinka kristillinen maailmankuva ja teologia syntyivät.”Teoksessa on asiasanahakemisto ja raamatunkohtien hakemisto. Kirjan on suomentanut teologian tohtori Timo Nisula.Carylta on aiemmin ilmestynyt suomeksi Hyvä uutinen huonoille kristityille (Perussanoma).