Patrology

Teacher(s)

Pauliat Marie;

Language

French

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: useful, but not indispensable: LRELI1170 Introduction to the History of Christianity.

Main themes

To achieve its objectives, the course will cover the following topics: information on the life and works of the main Fathers of the Church; initiation to the reading of the Greek and Latin patristic texts, whose interest in theological reflection will be shown. The course will include a practical introduction to the instruments of work in Patrology: encyclopedias, manuals, atlases, Clavis Patrum Graecorum, Clavis Patrum Latinorum.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	- situate in space and time the main Fathers of the Church and their major works;
2	- divide the theological content of a selection of patristic texts;
3	- use with advantage the basic tools of the Patrologist.

Content

After a chronological introduction situating the main authors within the historical framework, the course is organized into thematic sections to address the main theological issues debated in the first centuries: what is Scripture (notion of canon and biblical interpretation)? which relationship to culture (philosophy and Christianity)? who is God (development of Trinitarian, Christological and Pneumatological doctrine)? who is man (anthropology, man as image of God, articulation of human freedom/divine grace)? what is the Church (boundaries of the Church and sacramental theology)? a spiritual life for all (asceticism and mysticism)?
The course emphasizes the need for a contextualized reading of patristic texts, stresses the importance of theological diversity within Tradition itself, and endeavors to awaken students to the problems of attribution, transmission and translation of ancient texts.

Teaching methods

For this introductory course to an often-little-known subject, the teaching method is based on a combination of presentations by the professor and active pedagogy. Students are introduced to the writings of the Fathers right from the first classes, through a "portfolio of texts" (in French translation) in which patristic texts are accompanied by a pedagogical guide; these texts are chosen according to their theological interest.
Classes alternate between:
    -classroom presentations by the professor, illustrated by slides;
    -in-class question-and-answer sessions;
    -analysis of patristic texts (available in advance and read before each class).
At the end of each session, the professor provides students with a reading program and/or exercises (individually or in sub-groups) to familiarize them with the texts and the main working tools.

Evaluation methods

Oral examination

Online resources

The "portfolio of texts" is available on Moodle.

Bibliography

Initiation aux Pères de l'Église, 4 vol.: vol. 1-3 par J. Quasten, traduits de l'anglais par J. Laporte, Paris, 1955-1962; vol. 4: Du Concile de Nicée (325) au Concile de Chalcédoine (451). Les Pères Latins sous la direction d'A. di Berardino, traduit de l'italien par J.-P. Bagot, Paris, 1986. 
H. R. Drobner, Les Pères de l'Église. Sept siècles de littérature chrétienne, traduit de l'allemand par J. Feisthauer, Paris, Desclée, 1999.
Cl. Moreschini & E. Norelli, Storia della letteratura cristiana antica greca e latina, en 2 vol., Brescia, 1995-1996. Trad. anglaise disponible (Peabody, 2005). Trad. française du t. 1 disponible (Genève, 2000).
Histoire de la littérature grecque chrétienne, sous la direction de Bernard Pouderon, 4 vol. parus, Paris, Les Belles lettres, en cours depuis 2016.
Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum, Patrologia, 5 vol., Turin, 1978-2000.

Faculty or entity

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