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Overview
"Age-old debates over self-love and self-denial continue in the Christian community. Many regard self-love as incompatible with the self-sacrifice of Christ. Others, especially feminists and liberation theologians, contest the notion that self-sacrifice is the test of authentic Christian love. The resolution to this dilemma, argues Gerald Schlabach, lies with St. Augustine." "In this book, Schlabach examines how Augustine reconciled self-love and self-denial in a unified Christian love. He demonstrates the crucial role that continence played in Augustine's teaching. It is much more than an attitude toward sexuality. Rather, it is the operative mode of Augustinian caritas."--BOOK JACKET.Synopsis
"Age-old debates over self-love and self-denial continue in the Christian community. Many regard self-love as incompatible with the self-sacrifice of Christ. Others, especially feminists and liberation theologians, contest the notion that self-sacrifice is the test of authentic Christian love. The resolution to this dilemma, argues Gerald Schlabach, lies with St. Augustine." "In this book, Schlabach examines how Augustine reconciled self-love and self-denial in a unified Christian love. He demonstrates the crucial role that continence played in Augustine's teaching. It is much more than an attitude toward sexuality. Rather, it is the operative mode of Augustinian caritas."--BOOK JACKET.
Library Journal
Love is a key theme in Augustine, perhaps the key theme. In this consideration of Augustine's treatment of self-denying love Schlabach (religion and history, Bluffton Coll.) counters the traditional interpretation of Anders Nygren, builds on the work of John Burnaby and Oliver O'Donovan, and considers the question of feminism, critiquing his own Mennonite tradition with regard to the self-denial practiced by women. With a critical eye he tries to understand how Augustine reconciled self-love and self-denial. After studying the relevant texts, Schlabach considers what it would mean to reappropriate Augustine's idea of love in a contemporary context and presents seven theses concerning the relationship between self-love and self-denial. This model of the dialog that can take place when an classic author's thought is brought to bear on contemporary issues is recommended for theological collections and larger public libraries.--Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.