<i>Fides as Donum Dei</i> in Augustine’s <i>Sermones ad Populum: Sermo</i> 168 and Gal. 5, 6 as Case Studies

TL;DRAbstract

This article studies whether the theme of gratia fidei is present and thematised in the (pastoral) sermones ad populum Augustine preached during the Pelagian controversy in the same manner as it is in his (systematic) polemical writings during the same controversy. Does the difference in genre lead to a difference in thematisation? To answer this question and in order to evaluate the observation that the gratia fidei is rarely thematised in the sermones, this article focuses on two related case studies: sermo 168 and Augustine’s application of Gal. 5, 6. This research confirms that the initium fidei and the perseuerantia fidei as grace are not denied in the sermones and that Augustine describes faith as grace in his sermones in the same way as in his anti-Pelagian writings. The latter however occurs in the sermones less frequently than in the anti-Pelagian writings. The content of the sermones related to the fides theme thus is not different, rather its thematisation is adapted to its

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