In the malaise that characterized Roman culture of the 3rd and 4th centuries, several religious leaders attempted to find a synthesis between the increasingly influential Christian faith on the one hand, and a lingering paganism on the other. Many of these passed with little long-term impact, but among them, two were important because of the effect each had on the life experience and thought of Augustin (or, Augustine). The first of these that we will consider is Manichaeism, and the other is Neo-Platonism.

Manichaeism was founded by Mani in the mid-third century, and represented a typical example of syncretism, that is, a religion attempting to borrow from many traditions to produce a new and improved religious outlook. History is full of such attempts, but in the case of Manichaeism, the effect was exaggerated because of Augustin's participation in the movement for several years before his conversion.

As you consider this material, ask yourself how similar religious movements have surfaced in contemporary culture, and how the Christian faith should respond to such movements.

1. Introduction to the Major Themes of Philosophy
2. The Ionian Philosophers
3. The Italian Philosophers
4. The Athenian Pluralists
5. The Life and Times of Socrates
6. Introduction to Plato
7. Plato's World of the Forms
8. Plato's Parable of the Cave
9. Dualism in Plato
10. Introduction to Aristotle
11. Aristotle's Metaphysics
12. Aristotle's Categories
13. Aristotle's Theory of Language
14. Aristotle's God
15. The Epicureans
16. Stoicism
17. Philo of Alexandria
18. The Christian Synthesis
19. Early Christian Apologists
20. Antiochan Christianity
21. Alexandrian Christianity
22. The Council of Nicaea
23. Manichaeism
24. Neo-Platonism
25. The Life of Augustine
26. Overview of Augustin's Thought
27. Augustin's Epistemology
28. Augustin's Epistemology (part 2)
29. Augustin's Theory of Faith
30. Augustin's Understanding of the Church
31. The Pelagian Controversy
32. The Pelagian Controversy (cont)
33. The Pelagian Controversy (concl)
34. Anselm of Canterbury
35. Anselm's Cur Deus Homo
36. Introduction to the Classical Synthesis
37. The Classical Synthesis (part 2)
38. Thomas Aquinas and the Five Ways
39. Art, Philosophy, and the Renaissance

This wide ranging course starts with the pre-Socratic philosophers of the ancient world, and traces the history of philosophical speculation across the ages up to the present. Included along the way is special attention to the greatest Christian thinkers in history, including Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and many others.