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Journal article

Two aspects of early Christian faith

Abstract:
‘Faith’ is one of Christianity’s most significant, distinctive and complex concepts and practices, but Christian understandings of faith in the patristic period have received surprisingly little attention. This article explores two aspects of what Augustine terms fides qua, ‘the faith by which believers believe’. From the early second century, belief in the truth of doctrine becomes increasingly significant to Christians; by the fourth, affirming that certain doctrines are true has become central to becoming Christian and to remaining within the Church. During the same period, we find a steady growth in poetic and imagistic descriptions of interior faith. This article explores how and why these developments occurred, arguing that they are mutually implicated and that this period sees the beginning of their long co-existence.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1017/stc.2021.2

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Sub department:
Ancient History & Classical Arch
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Journal:
Studies in Church History More from this journal
Volume:
57
Pages:
6 - 31
Publication date:
2021-05-21
Acceptance date:
2020-11-08
DOI:
EISSN:
2059-0644
ISSN:
0424-2084


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1160116
Local pid:
pubs:1160116
Deposit date:
2021-02-05

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