Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

“The influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a Spiritual Mentor” is Christine McCann’s publication investigating the way Manichaeism doctrines affected Augustine’s spiritual mentoring. McCann argues that Augustine’s encounter with Manichaeism had long-lasting impacts on his sensitivity to praise and pride. According to McCann (2009), Augustine disdained personal praises as he deemed them inappropriate and inaccurate, even rejecting the concept of being imitated and admired as a model. She posits that “the mentor is not the source of knowledge but simply an aid in the process of reading and understanding the Scriptures” (McCann, 2009, p.263). The author’s thesis is that a spiritual mentoring relationship should depart from enhancing one’s power, position, reputation, or influence but aid in the reading and understanding scriptural content.

McCann’s publication contains major arguments and refutations, which fortify the spiritual mentoring arrangements, anchored on extreme self-discipline and avoidance of any form of self-aggrandizement. The principal assertion is that discipleship and spiritual development through mentoring can be undermined and obstructed by deviations, such as predispositions towards personal praise. On the converse, the arrangement should seek to entrench a deeper focus on teachings compared to the mentor. Additionally, Augustine illustrates Manichaeans’ inability to deliver the right teachings as they have been diluted by untruths and inconsistencies, which renders them unreliable. She asserts that “Manichaeans’ own books contradict what he was told by other members of the group, and that this inconsistency shows the unreliability of their claims” (McCann, 2009, p.267). However, in determining the productivity of these arrangements, it is imperative that an assessment be conducted on the right candidates. For instance, Augustine could only obtain the truth from Faustus about the Elect (McCann, 2009). This publication implies that obsession with oneself and the promotion of self-importance subverts mentorship programs by redirecting focus to individuals rather than the teachings.

McCann’s work has various weaknesses, which undermine the application of his findings. For instance, Augustine’s obsession with winning arguments and the possible impacts on spiritual Christian aspirations were not comprehensively addressed. Additionally, the article does not provide definite Manichaean philosophies which disproportionately elevated Augustine’s sensitivity to praises and pride. However, McCann draws the comparisons with other publications and literature, which offers useful insights on the trajectory of spiritual mentorship. A prominent research question is the effect of the spiritual elitism on discipleship after Augustine’s challenge and teachings.

Reference

McCann, C. (2009). The influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a spiritual mentor. Cistercian Studies Quarterly, 44(3), 255-277.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, January 23). Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism. https://ivypanda.com/essays/augustines-spiritual-mentoring-and-manichaeism/

Work Cited

"Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism." IvyPanda, 23 Jan. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/augustines-spiritual-mentoring-and-manichaeism/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism'. 23 January.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism." January 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/augustines-spiritual-mentoring-and-manichaeism/.

1. IvyPanda. "Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism." January 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/augustines-spiritual-mentoring-and-manichaeism/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Augustine’s Spiritual Mentoring and Manichaeism." January 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/augustines-spiritual-mentoring-and-manichaeism/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1