Augustine of Hippo: A Controversial Life
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| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2027-01-13 | - |
Program Overview
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Course Details
Augustine of Hippo: A Controversial Life
Overview
Born to a Berber mother and a Roman father, Augustine grew up in North Africa in the latter part of the 4th century. His words and ideas, however, influenced not only the development of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire in his era and beyond, but also fields as diverse as semiotics and music, and indeed many of the assumptions and ideas in the world we live in today.
Programme Details
- Week 1: Early life and the
- Week 2: The Philosopher
- Week 3: The Bishop
- Week 4: The Preacher
- Week 5: The Exegete
- Week 6: Controversy 1: Against the Manichees
- Week 7: Controversy 2: Against the Donatists
- Week 8: The Theologian: On the Trinity
- Week 9: Controversy 3: The City of God, against the pagans
- Week 10: Controversy 4: The Pelagians
Recommended Reading
- The Confessions / Augustine of Hippo
- Augustine of Hippo: A Biography (New Edition with Epilogue) / Brown, Peter
- Augustine: A very short introduction / Chadwick, Henry
- Augustine in his own words / Harmless, William
Certification
- Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points
- Digital credentials
Fees
- Course Fee: 」360.00
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.
Tutor
- Dr Susan Griffith
Course Aims
- To gain a deeper understanding of the life and thought of Augustine of Hippo.
- To introduce students to a broad range of works by an influential thinker and theologian.
- To encourage students to go deeper into texts and topics that particularly interest them.
- To experience the reward of reading a thinker's own words.
Teaching Methods
This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- read a wide range of Augustine's writings;
- gain insight into the social, cultural, political, and religious context in which he produced these works;
- be able to trace the development of his thought over time.
Assessment Methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Level and Demands
This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required. This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar.
