Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume II/On Christian Doctrine/Introductory Note by the Editor

Introductory Note by the Editor.

The four books of St. Augustin On Christian Doctrine (De Doctrina Christiana, iv libri) are a compend of exegetical theology to guide the reader in the understanding and interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, according to the analogy of faith.&#160; The first three books were written a.d. 397; the fourth was added 426.

He speaks of it in his Retractations, Bk. ii., chap. 4, as follows:

“Finding that the books on Christian Doctrine were not finished, I thought it better to complete them before passing on to the revision of others.&#160; Accordingly, I completed the third book, which had been written as far as the place where a quotation is made from the Gospel about the woman who took leaven and hid it in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened. &#160; I added also the last book, and finished the whole work in four books [in the year 426]:&#160; the first three affording aids to the interpretation of Scripture, the last giving directions as to the mode of making known our interpretation.&#160; In the second book, I made a mistake as to the authorship of the book commonly called the Wisdom of Solomon.&#160; For I have since learnt that it is not a well-established fact, as I said it was, that Jesus the son of Sirach, who wrote the book of Ecclesiasticus, wrote this book also:&#160; on the contrary, I have ascertained that it is altogether more probable that he was not the author of this book.&#160; Again, when I said, &#8216;The authority of the Old Testament is contained within the limits of these forty-four books,&#8217; I used the phrase &#8216;Old Testament&#8217; in accordance with ecclesiastical usage.&#160; But the apostle seems to restrict the application of the name &#8216;Old Testament&#8217; to the law which was given on Mount Sinai. &#160; And in what I said as to St. Ambrose having, by his knowledge of chronology, solved a great difficulty, when he showed that Plato and Jeremiah were contemporaries, my memory betrayed me.&#160; What that great bishop really did say upon this subject may be seen in the book which he wrote, &#8216;On Sacraments or Philosophy.&#8217;”