Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher - Research Paper Example

 Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher Introduction If one takes a close look at the way the humanity developed, one can not help noticing that religion played a significant role in this process. Indeed, it articulated the abstract principles that guided the behavior of the people and gradually transformed the society. Nevertheless, it must be noted that religion as a nothing but a concept; the real application of it is performed by people who make a conscious decision to follow this path. That is why it would not be a mistake to suggest that a close analysis of life of notable religious figures can be rather advantageous. This paper will provide biographical examination of Saint Augustine as well as Friedrich Schleiermacher, comparing and contrasting their legacy, analyzing their significance in general and to Christianity in particular. Brief account of life of Saint Augustine The first prominent figure that will be discussed in this paper is Saint Augustine. This Christian saint was born in the middle of fourth century in the territory of the modern Algeria1. It must be noted that his mother is recognized as a saint, namely Saint Monica, but his father remained to be a pagan until his death, when he finally decided to be baptized. Augustine had a wonderful education, especially in rhetoric which is considered to be the strong part of his individuality; despite this, he was never fluent in Greek, one of the major languages of the time. During his youth, he experienced all the pleasures of life, not being very pious. He also adopted various worldviews, which he later claimed to be false. At the age of thirty he was baptized by his close friend Ambrose of Milan and since they became a significant figure in the Christian world. Brief account of life of Friedrich Schleiermacher The next individual whose legacy will be examined is Friedrich Schleiermacher. He was born many centuries after Saint Augustine and in a completely different cultural background. He was born in the middle of eighteenth century in Prussia into a family of a Christian pastor2. Quite early Schleiermacher adopted love for religion and was genuinely interested in pursuing this path. However, he always rejected blind faith into dogmas and rebelled against orthodoxy in any form. He had a wonderful education and was deeply moved by the ongoing discussion between two brightest minds of the time: Kant and Leibnitz. In future, morality was one of his subjects of interest. Having changed many professors, such as a tutor, a chaplain and a professor, he left his trace in the history of philosophy and theology. Similarities between Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher In spite of the fact that the two individuals lived in two different ages and had completely different events in life, one can find a considerable number of similarities between them. For example, they both were interested in bringing the philosophical element into religion, advocating the necessity to explore philosophy of religion. Indeed, in the times of Saint Augustine, Christianity was only several centuries old and there were no comprehensive works that would make sure that the abstract notions that are being engaged by this religious tradition are fully examined. In addition to that, many centuries later, Schleiermacher was responsible for showing that faith does not necessarily exclude a careful understanding of the world. Another important point that the two historical figures share is their love for religion. As it has been already noted, Saint Augustine did not live a life that was full of faith and religious commitment until his thirties; however upon conversion, he appeared to be a rather passionate Christian which can be easily seen in his Confessions. Similarly, Schleiermacher experienced such love for Christianity. Nevertheless, being born into a family of a pastor, he developed love for Christianity much earlier. All in all, one might conclude that the activity of both men was heavily influenced by their genuine faith and the desire to explore the mysterious frontiers of it. As a result, this greatly contributed to the productivity in examination of issues that other scholars did not try to analyze at all. Differences between Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher In spite of the fact that the two above mentioned individuals share a considerable number of similar points, there are quite many aspects in which they differ. For example, it must be noted that Saint Augustine lived in a wonderful time when the Christian Church was not divided into two branches. This means that he perceived the Christian world as a unified one as oppose to small states that existed in Europe at the time3. That is why there is no wonder that this influenced his way of thinking. Indeed, unlike Schleiermacher, Saint Augustine truly believed that salvation might be achieved through belonging to the Church of Christ and portrayed it as a powerful social organization that is supported by the saints in the heavens and manifests itself in the world as a unified Christian Church. Contrary to that, Schleiermacher thought that any enforcement of dogma, especially in the form of hierarchy is not beneficial for the Christians. This resulted in the fact that Schleiermacher developed a unique understanding of what Christian social environment should be structured. His views were appreciated by those who advocated Reformation. Indeed, in the according to him, it is not effective to place limits on one's spirit and enshrine it in dogma without allowing one to apply one's mind to find answers that would satisfy the spiritual hunger4. The difference in perception is quite understandable as the views of Schleiermacher were formed in the time when the progressive Europe tried to get rid of the shackles of religious domination which barely existed when Saint Augustine lived. Significance of Saint Augustine legacy While considering the contribution that was made by Saint Augustine, one should point out that this individual is often referred to as one of the Doctors of the Church which is a group of influential Christian scholar that brought the teaching of Christ to a new level, rejecting heresies and refining it. Speaking of the saint in question, one might point out that he was among the first to bring philosophy into the religious environment, significantly reinforcing the fundamental beliefs of a relatively young spiritual tradition5. It would not be a mistake to point out that the majority of the future scholars grounded their researchers on his works such as The City of God or Confessions. Another point that must be mentioned while reviewing his legacy is that Saint Augustine was able to explore not only the religious issues, but was also active in other areas of social life. For example, he was the person to propose the concept of just war which is the idea that heavily influenced European politics at the time as well as the way Christianity interacted with other nations6. In addition to that, the justification of war which was proposed by Saint Augustine was later developed by other Christian scholars, beginning the tradition of justification of war with religious causes. Moreover, the saint in question also touched some issues, proving that he was ahead of his time. Thus, it was he, who raised some concerns about the necessity to comply with the provisions of the international treaties as they were the basis of global stability. Significance of Friedrich Schleiermacher legacy If one carefully analyzes the works of this German scholar, one can not help noticing that a considerable amount of it is dedicated to the discipline that is called hermeneutics7. It must be noted that while it existed many centuries before him, but contributions like the one that was made by Schleiermacher greatly contributed to popularization of it as well as fruitful interaction with other sciences. Keeping in mind the religious zeal of the person in question, one might suggest that his love for the text of the Bible allowed him to find peculiar interconnections in other texts as well. The next point that should be taken into account is the way Friedrich Schleiermacher saw the union of the society and the Church. In spite of being quite religious, he understood that the future of the humanity will benefit from partnership of these two actors and not their confrontation or domination of one of them. Nevertheless, he advocated independence of each of the spheres. For example, he welcomed union of several branches of Protestantism, but never wanted to see this is a forced action. That is why in the minds of the proponents of Reformation he left a significant trace. Significance of Saint Augustine in the history of Christianity As it has already been noted, Saint Augustine is often credited as one of the Doctors of Church. That is why his significance is evident. To be more precise, he was able to lay the foundation of the concept that explained why Christian Church is an exceptional organization and why the believers should unite around it8. It would not be an exaggeration to suggest that he developed a detailed model of the relationship between the Church and the people, trying to contribute to the harmonization of the social environment. In addition to that, Saint Augustine was one of the earliest scholars that examined the idea of Original Sin. One should point out that some findings that were made by this philosopher greatly contributed to the understanding of this significant theological concept and made a way for further investigations of it. Having extremely broad outlook, Saint Augustine was able to see numerous implications of the Original Sin for the people who lived before and after resurrection of Christ. Though some of his conclusions are debatable, the Church acknowledges his valuable contribution into the discussion of this topic. Significance of Friedrich Schleiermacher in the history of Christianity In spite of the fact that this historical figure is not as famous as the one which was analyzed in the previous section, Friedrich Schleiermacher was still able to make an important contribution in the development of this spirituals tradition. To begin with, it must be noted that the movement that is titled Liberal Christianity is closely connected to life and legacy of Friedrich Schleiermacher9. Indeed, the proponents of it shared the majority of the views of this German scholar. In addition to that it was he who articulated the fundamental principles of a modern understanding of Christianity that is free of any dogmatic influence and provides a person with ability to structure one’s faith in the best possible manner. Friedrich Schleiermacher is also a famous proponent of the idea of Christian universalism. In spite of the fact that this concept might be opposed to by Catholic Church or other conservative thinkers, the German philosopher in question was able to provide sound argument that would support this advocacy of universalism. That is why every scholar who would latter develop this idea is likely to engage some of the point that were made by Schleiermacher10. What is more important is that the latter is able to enjoy quite a positive reputation in the community of Christian scholars; that is why his significance might be partially compared to the one of Saint Augustine, though they lived so many centuries apart. Conclusion Having examined all the points which were made in the previous paragraphs, one might suggest that both Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher are notable figures that have similar and different aspects. For example, they are known to bring philosophical elements into religious experience and both possessed genuine love for their God. Nevertheless, their views on the role that dogma plays in one’s life are opposite. Saint Augustine is known for developing various philosophical as well as political concepts, advocating the significance of the Church in the world, while Schleiermacher greatly contributed to the development of hermeneutics, emergence of Liberal Christianity and advocating of the concept of Christian universalism. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that these two figures were able to have similar influence on Christianity, despite the fact that they lived in different times. Works Cited Crouter, Richard. Friedrich Schleiermacher: Between Enlightenment and Romanticism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Dehsen, Christian D. Philosophers and Religious Leaders. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1999. Figgis, John Neville. The Political Aspects of S. Augustine's 'City of God' London: Longmans, Green, 2010. Hagan, Anette I. Eternal Blessedness for All?: A Historical-systematic Examination of Friedrich Schleiermacher's Reinterpretation of Predestination. Havertown, PA: Casemate Publishers, 2014. Marias, Julian. History of Philosophy. Cambridge, MA: Courier Corporation, 2012. Mattox, John Mark. Saint Augustine and the Theory of Just War. London: Continuum, 2006. McDermott, Gerald R. The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2010. McLean, Bradley H. Biblical Interpretation and Philosophical Hermeneutics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Riggs, John W. Baptism in the Reformed Tradition: A Historical and Practical Theology. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002. Wiley, Tatha. Original Sin: Origins, Developments, Contemporary Meanings. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 2002. Read More