On Christian Doctrine — IV

St. Augustine of Hippo

  1. 1. — This Work Not Intended as a Treatise on Rhetoric.
  2. 2. — It is Lawful for a Christian Teacher to Use the Art of Rhetoric.
  3. 3. — The Proper Age and the Proper Means for Acquiring Rhetorical Skill.
  4. 4. — The Duty of the Christian Teacher.
  5. 5. — Wisdom of More Importance Than Eloquence to the Christian Teacher.
  6. 6. — The Sacred Writers Unite Eloquence with Wisdom.
  7. 7. — Examples of True Eloquence Drawn from the Epistles of Paul and the Prophecies of Amos.
  8. 8. — The Obscurity of the Sacred Writers, Though Compatible with Eloquence, Not to Be Imitated by Christian Teachers.
  9. 9. — How, and with Whom, Difficult Passages are to Be Discussed.
  10. 10. — The Necessity for Perspicuity of Style.
  11. 11. — The Christian Teacher Must Speak Clearly, But Not Inelegantly.
  12. 12. — The Aim of the Orator, According to Cicero, is to Teach, to Delight, and to Move. Of These, Teaching is the Most Essential.
  13. 13. — The Hearer Must Be Moved as Well as Instructed.
  14. 14. — Beauty of Diction to Be in Keeping with the Matter.
  15. 15. — The Christian Teacher Should Pray Before Preaching.
  16. 16. — Human Directions Not to Be Despised, Though God Makes the True Teacher.
  17. 17. — Threefold Division of The Various Styles of Speech.
  18. 18. — The Christian Orator is Constantly Dealing with Great Matters.
  19. 19. — The Christian Teacher Must Use Different Styles on Different Occasions.
  20. 20. — Examples of the Various Styles Drawn from Scripture.
  21. 21. — Examples of the Various Styles, Drawn from the Teachers of the Church, Especially Ambrose and Cyprian.
  22. 22. — The Necessity of Variety in Style.
  23. 23. — How the Various Styles Should Be Mingled.
  24. 24. — The Effects Produced by the Majestic Style.
  25. 25. — How the Temperate Style is to Be Used.
  26. 26. — In Every Style the Orator Should Aim at Perspicuity, Beauty, and Persuasiveness.
  27. 27. — The Man Whose Life is in Harmony with His Teaching Will Teach with Greater Effect.
  28. 28. — Truth is More Important Than Expression. What is Meant by Strife About Words.
  29. 29. — It is Permissible for a Preacher to Deliver to the People What Has Been Written by a More Eloquent Man Than Himself.
  30. 30. — The Preacher Should Commence His Discourse with Prayer to God.
  31. 31. — Apology for the Length of the Work.

1. This work of mine, which is entitled On Christian Doctrine, was at the commencement divided into two parts. For, after a preface, in which I answered by anticipation those who were likely to take exception to the work, I said, There are two things on which all interpretation of Scripture depends: the mode of ascertaining the proper meaning, and the mode of making known the meaning when it is ascertained. I shall treat first of the mode of ascertaining, next of the mode of making known, the meaning. As, then, I have already said a great deal about the mode of ascertaining the meaning, and have given three books to this one part of the subject, I shall only say a few things about the mode of making known the meaning, in order if possible to bring them all within the compass of one book, and so finish the whole work in four books.

2. In the first place, then, I wish by this preamble to put a stop to the expectations of readers who may think that I am about to lay down rules of rhetoric such as I have learned, and taught too, in the secular schools, and to warn them that they need not look for any such from me. Not that I think such rules of no use, but that whatever use they have is to be learned elsewhere; and if any good man should happen to have leisure for learning them, he is not to ask me to teach them either in this work or any other.