Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2008 Tracing Kairos: The Modern Applicability of St. Augustine Kelly D. Israel Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact
[email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES TRACING KAIROS: THE MODERN APPLICABILITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE By KELLY D. ISRAEL A Thesis submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2008 Copyright © 2008 Kelly D. Israel All Rights Reserved The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Kelly D. Israel, defended on April 16, 2008. _____________________ Kristie S. Fleckenstein Professor Directing Thesis ____________________ Elaine Treharne Committee Member ____________________ Kathleen Blake Yancey Committee Member Approved: ____________________ R.M. Berry, Chair, English Department The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract v 1. AN IMPOSSIBLE APPLICABILITY 6 2. A RHETORICAL SITUATION ACROSS TIME 14 The Modern Rhetorical Situation 14 A Redefinition 19 Synthesizing the Modern and Medieval: A Rhetorical Situation for All Times 26 Framework of Analysis 27 3. THE RHETORICAL SITUATION OF ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 28 On Christian Doctrine 28 Exigence 30 Audience 33 Constraints 39 Rhetor 40 Ethics 43 Conclusion 45 4. THE RHETORICAL SITUATION OF JESUS AMONG OTHER GODS 46 Jesus Among Other Gods 48 Exigence 49 Audience 51 Constraints 53 Rhetor 55 iii Ethics 55 Conclusion 59 5. DETERMINING AN IMPOSSIBLE APPLICABILITY 60 Exigences 60 Audiences 62 Constraints 63 Rhetors 65 Ethics 65 Conclusions 66 WORKS CITED 68 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 71 iv ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to test the applicability of ancient texts to contemporary concerns.