TOWARDS A VISION OF GOD: A Study of the Light and Darkness, and Sight and Blindness Imagery in Book 7 of Augustine’s Confessions by Christina Turner Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Professor Annemaré Kotzé March 2021 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof, that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. March 2021 Copyright © 2021 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Summary This thesis provides a sketch of Augustine’s journey towards knowledge of God, and his ensuing encounter with God through philosophical vision, as articulated in book 7 of the Confessions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which the pervading images of light and darkness, and associated images of sight and blindness are used in book 7 to bolster a protreptic communicative purpose of the book, aimed at the potential Manichaean reader. To this end, core aspects of the Manichaean doctrine are outlined in order to gain a fuller understanding of the concepts and images in book 7 which would have had special significance for a Manichaean reader. Aspects deemed relevant include their fundamental dualism, which revolved around the struggle between the material realms of light and darkness and pervaded every aspect of their thought; their focus on a literal apprehension of their teachings, and their insistence that the truth of their teachings, and the divine, cosmic struggle between light and darkness, could be witnessed by every person through the senses. A reading of book 7 of the Confessions is then undertaken in which it is found that Augustine establishes a dichotomy between a materialist and a more conceptual, spiritual comprehension of God’s nature using contrasting images of blindness and sight, darkness and light. It is found that Augustine employs a model of argumentation which takes as its point of departure the world view of the Manichaeans, showing up the cracks in their thinking. He then presents his new-found perspectives as the better alternative, through the outlaying of proofs based on his reading of the books of the Platonists. Augustine finally describes his quest to locate a transcendent God through philosophical vision, and he raises the importance of spiritual vision and illumination in order to know God, as opposed to physical vision. In this way, the thesis argues that book 7 has a protreptic communicative purpose aimed at the Manichaean reader; that core aspects of Manichaeism are refuted, and that their way of thinking is transformed towards a Neoplatonist-Christian approach, using language with which they were familiar. ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Hierdie tesis bied 'n skets van Augustinus se reis na kennis van God, en sy daaropvolgende ontmoeting met God deur middel van 'n filosofiese visie, soos verwoord in boek 7 van die Confessiones. Die doel van die studie is om te ondersoek in watter mate die alomteenwoordige beelde van lig en duisternis, en gepaardgaande beelde van sig en blindheid in boek 7 gebruik word om 'n protreptiese kommunikatiewe doel van die boek te versterk, gerig op die potensiële Manichese leser. Om hierdie doel te bereik, word kernaspekte van die Manichese leerstelling uiteengesit ten einde 'n beter begrip te kry van die konsepte en beelde in boek 7 wat vir 'n Manichese leser spesiale betekenis sou gehad het. Aspekte wat as relevant beskou word, sluit in hul fundamentele dualisme, wat draai om die stryd tussen die materiële koninkryke van lig en duisternis en elke aspek van hul denke deurdring; hulle fokus op 'n letterlike begrip van dit wat hulle glo, en hul aandrang daarop dat die waarheid van hul leerstellings en die goddelike, kosmiese stryd tussen lig en duisternis deur elke mens se sintuie waargeneem kan word. Die interpretasie van boek 7 van die Confessiones wat hier aangebied word, argumenteer dat Augustinus 'n dichotomie tussen 'n materialistiese en 'n meer konseptuele, geestelike begrip van God se natuur daarstel met behulp van kontrasterende beelde van blindheid en sig, duisternis en lig. Die bevinding is dat Augustinus 'n model van argumentasie gebruik wat die wêreldbeskouing van die Manicheërs as vertrekpunt gebruik en die foutlyne in hul denke uitwys. Hy bied dan sy nuutgevonde perspektiewe aan as die beste alternatief deur bewyse uiteen te sit gebaseer op sy lees van die boeke van die Platoniste. Augustinus beskryf uiteindelik sy strewe om `n transendente God deur middel van filosofiese visie te vind, en hy beklemtoon die belangrikheid van geestelike visie en illuminasie om God te leer ken, in teenstelling met fisiese visie. Die tesis voer aan dat boek 7 `n protreptiese kommunikatiewe doel het wat op die Manichese leser gerig is; kernaspekte van die Manicheïsme word weerlê, en hul denkwyse word getransformeer om te lei na 'n Neoplatonistiese-Christelike benadering deur die gebruik van taal waarmee hulle vertroud was. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgments My sincere appreciation to everyone who made the presentation of this thesis possible. A word of thanks to the staff at the Department of Ancient Studies for their commitment to their post- graduate students, with special thanks to Dr de Villiers, Ms Daniels, and Professor Kotzé for their support while I studied and worked at the department. I would further like to thank my supervisor, Prof Kotzé, for her valuable edits to this thesis and for the Afrikaans, but most of all for her mentorship and her unfailing guidance and advice. Finally, a word of gratitude to my family and loved ones for their support and care, especially to Sophia for proofreading my final draft and for her insightful suggestions, to Jason for our lovely discussions, and to my parents for our precious times together over all those cups of tea. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Table of Contents Declaration .............................................................................................................................. i Summary ................................................................................................................................ ii Opsomming .......................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments................................................................................................................. iv Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Images of Light and Darkness, Sight and Blindness and a Manichaean Subtext ........... 1 1.2. Genre, Communicative Purpose, and Intended Audience .............................................. 4 1.3. Some Theoretical Considerations ................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2: Light and Darkness according to Manichaeism ..................................................... 13 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 13 2.2. The Founding of Manichaeism ..................................................................................... 13 2.2.1. The Religion of Light ............................................................................................. 15 2.3. How the Manichaeans Perceived Light and Darkness .................................................. 19 2.3.1. The Material Realms of Light and Darkness ......................................................... 20 2.3.2. The Question of God’s Supremacy ........................................................................ 21 2.3.3. Emanations of the Light ......................................................................................... 24 2.3.4. The Creation of Man .............................................................................................. 29 2.3.5. A Man’s Life on Earth ........................................................................................... 32 Chapter 3: Light and Darkness in Book 7 of the Confessions ................................................. 36 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 36 3.2. The Light Obscured ...................................................................................................... 40 3.3. Darkness, Blindness, and God as Healer ...................................................................... 47 3.4. A Riddle for his Readers: Exercitatio Animi ................................................................ 52 3.4.1. Reading the Books of the Platonists ...................................................................... 57 3.5. Seeing the Light ............................................................................................................ 63 3.5.1. Attempt at Ascent to the Light ............................................................................... 65 3.5.2.