Augustine's Text of John: Patristic Citations and Latin Gospel Manuscripts

by H. A. G. Houghton

Overview

What sort of Bible did Augustine have? How did he quote from it - and was he accurate? Do Augustine's biblical citations transmit readings not found in any surviving manuscripts? This book is part of a major project on the Old Latin versions of the Gospel according to John, and uses Augustine as a test-case to examine the importance of the evidence provided by the Church Fathers for the text of the Gospels. The early history of the Latin Bible is reconstructed from Augustine's comments in his treatise De doctrina christiana (On Christian teaching). Details are assembled from sermons, letters, and other writings to show how Augustine and his contemporaries used the Bible in the liturgy of the Church, public debates, and in composing their own works. Augustine's own methods of citing the Bible are analysed, and features are identified which are characteristic of citations produced from memory rather than read from a gospel codex. The second part of the book is a chronological survey of the biblical text in Augustine's works, showing how he switched from using the older versions of the Gospel to the revised text of Jerome, which later became known as the Vulgate. Finally, a verse by verse commentary is provided on all the significant readings in Augustine's text of John, assessing their significance for the history of the Latin Bible, and in some cases the Greek tradition as well. Details are also given of Augustine's exegesis of particular verses of the Gospel, making this an indispensable handbook for biblical scholars and church historians alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191609350
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	09/04/2008
Series:	Oxford Early Christian Studies
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	19 MB
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About the Author

H. A. G. Houghton is Professor of New Testament Textual Scholarship at the University of Birmingham, where he is also Director of the Institute for Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing. He is one of the editors of the Gospel according to John and corresponding editor for the principal Pauline Epistles in the Vetus Latina series.

Editorial Reviews

UNEDITED UK REVIEW: "'Houghton demonstrates to the twenty first century reader, accustomed to printed texts, copyright and immediate access to almost any text anywhere in the world, the impact which oral culture had upon Christian exegesis and use of Scripture. The first four chapters constitute a wonderfully lucid, step by step initiation into the discipline, art and practice of textual criticism, which enable the reader (whatever their previous knowledge or experience) to follow the author with enthusiasm and interest into the serious work of textual criticism which takes place in the remaining two-thirds of the book. The chapter on Augustine's exegesis deserves special mention: it is an outstanding treatment of a somewhat neglected area in Augustine studies.' "—Carol Harrison

"Houghton's study is a substantial achievement and will prove to be a standard reference in a number of fields . . . Houghton deftly blends his own research agenda with keen attention to numerous adjoining questions, making this study a necessary tool not only for those concerned with the reception history of the Old Latin text type but for anyone concerned with cognate fields."—Speculum

From the Publisher