Questions of Patristics I

Teacher(s)

Pauliat Marie;

Language

French

Main themes

One special question pertaining to various testimonies of the ancient Christian literature, considered in its literary, dogmatic and theological aspects will be analysed; - The different extracts read during the course will be situated in their historial and theological context.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	tackle a theological or literary question pertaining to the ancient Christian literature, mainly Greek and/or Latin ;
2	read critically the ancient theological sources ;
3	make use of the patrologist's main working tools.

Content

One special question pertaining to various testimonies of the ancient Christian literature, considered in its literary, dogmatic and theological aspects will be analysed.
In 2025-2026: The Fathers and Scripture: Patristic Hermeneutics and Exegesis
This course explores the richness of patristic exegesis, at the intersection of theology, philosophy, and ancient rhetoric. Through the works of major figures such as Origen, Augustine, and Ephrem, we will discover how, in diverse cultural and doctrinal contexts, the early Christian authors read and interpreted the Bible, considering it as a living text, carrying multiple meanings, always in dialogue with the lives of believers. We will analyze the major patristic hermeneutics, in particular the contrasting approaches of the schools of Alexandria and Antioch. Particular attention will be paid to the relationships between the Old and New Testaments, at the heart of the patristic reading of Scripture: typology, fulfillment, continuity, and novelty. We will study the different genres in which this exegesis unfolds (biblical commentaries, homilies, theological treatises, etc.) and the way in which each form engages a specific relationship with the biblical text. We would like to show how the exegesis of the Fathers still offers a powerful paradigm today, not as an alternative exegetical method, but as an original perception of what Christian means in biblical terms.
The different extracts read during the course will be situated in their historial and theological context.

Teaching methods

For this course on a little-known topic, the teaching method is based on a combination of presentations by the teacher and active pedagogy.
Classes will alternate between:
    -classroom presentations by the teacher, 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 teacher 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 exam

Bibliography

Quelques ouvrages de référence sur l'exégèse patristique (une bibliographie complémentaire sera communiquée lors du cours):
– Fiedrowicz M., Principes de l’interprétation de l’Écriture dans l’Église ancienne, Berne-Berlin, 1998.
– Lubac H. (de), Exégèse médiévale. Les quatre sens de l’Écriture, 4 volumes, Paris, Aubier-Montaigne, 1959-1964.
– Maraval P., « La Bible et les Pères : bilan de cinquante ans de recherches », dans Les Pères de l'Église au XXème siècle. Histoire - Littérature - Théologie. "L'aventure des Sources chrétiennes" (Patrimoines. Christianisme), Paris, 1997.
– Margerie B. (de), Introduction à l’histoire de l’exégèse, 4 volumes, Paris, Cerf, 2009.
– Mellerin L. (dir.), Lectures de la Bible. Ier-XVe siècles, Paris, Cerf, 2017.
– Handbook of Patristic Exegesis. The Bible in Ancient Christianity, ed. by Ch. Kannengiesser, 2 vol., Leiden, 2004.

Teaching materials

• Les supports de cours seront disponibles sur Moodle au fur et à mesure.

Faculty or entity

> TEBI