Wednesday of the first week of the new year was the first full working day of the WCRS Winter Course 2024. The group met in the seminar room of St. Cyprian College on the grounds of St. George’s, the Anglican Church of Tunis.
The nine participants from various universities and seminaries in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and the United States met to study Augustine in Carthage, where he spent many years of his life.
On the first day of the course the group took a first step into Christian Latin by translating two hymns written by Ambrose which were valued by Augustine: “Aeterne rerum conditor” (morning hymn) and “Deus creator omnium” (evening hymn).
From the second day on Augustine’s “City of God” came into focus. Until Monday, selected passages of this important work were translated together. In addition, each participant gave a short presentation on two books.
Amerbach edition 1489
“Africa” (mosaic in El Jem)
On Friday of the first week, Professor David Wilhite from Baylor University gave a guest lecture on Augustine as an African theologian. He showed that Augustine was rooted in the world of North Africa and that this background influenced his theology. This is also true of his book “City of God,” which takes a critical look at the Roman Empire and Roman religion.