Augustine's relevance for contemporary religious education

For young people, Augustine can have something of mysterium fascinosum et tremendum. His engaging personality and passionate life can, on the one hand, have a strong appealing force. On the other hand, some of his more extreme ideas can arouse opposition amongst the young. In order to determine the possible significance of Augustine as inspiration and subject for religious education today, the present article develops a double movement: (1) deconstruction and (2) construction. (1) Many pictures and even many prejudices exist of Augustine. Precisely the excellent case study offered to us by Augustine when he evaluates current prejudices of theologians and religious texts of our Christian tradition is in itself already a first element for establishing Augustine’s contemporary relevance for religious education. (2) Once Augustine is stripped from prejudices and we have obtained a ‘neutral’ and historical correct view of his time, life and writings, we will understand the constructive interaction between context and content in Augustine, the theologian. Herein lies a second possible relevance of Augustine. Finally, we will constructively examine how Augustine’s most fundamental intuitions - such as his ideas on grace - can be relevant for theological thought in general and current religious education in particular.Para los jóvenes, Agustín puede tener algo de mysterium fascinosum et tremendum. Su personalidad atractiva y su apasionada vida pueden, por un lado, tener una fuerza intensa de atracción. Por otro lado, algunas de sus ideas más extremas pueden suscitar la oposición entre los jóvenes. Con el fin de determinar la posible significación de Agustín como inspiración y tema de la educación religiosa de hoy, el presente artículo se desarrolla en una doble vertiente: (1) la deconstrucción y (2) la construcción. (1) Existen muchas imágenes e incluso muchos prejuicios sobre Agustín. Precisamente el excelente estudio de caso que se nos ofrece por Agustín en la evaluación de los prejuicios actuales de los teólogos y los textos religiosos de nuestra tradición cristiana es en sí mismo ya un primer elemento para establecer la relevancia contemporánea de Agustín para la educación religiosa. (2) Una vez que Agustín es despojado de los prejuicios y se ha obtenido una visión correcta, “neutral” e histórica de su tiempo, su vida y sus escritos, vamos a entender la interacción constructiva entre el contexto y el contenido en Agustín, el teólogo. He aquí una posible segunda relevancia de Agustín. Por último, vamos a examinar de manera constructiva cómo las intuiciones fundamentales de Agustín –como sus ideas sobre la gracia– pueden ser relevantes para la reflexión teológica en general y la educación religiosa actual en particular.Educació

La doctrine de la grâce de saint Augustin. Aspects pastoraux et spéculatifs

Le présent article étudie l’exégèse augustinienne de Jean 1,12 et 6,44 comme un double cas-test, consacré au thème de son enseignement sur la foi comme grâce, afin d’évaluer les différences/similitudes de l’œuvre d’Augustin entre les différentes périodes (en particulier avant et pendant la controverse pélagienne) et entre les genres (en particulier les sermons et les écrits systématiques-polémiques).The present article studies Augustine’s exegesis of John 1,12 and 6,44 as a double test case to evaluate the differences/similarities between the different periods (especially before and during the Pelagian controversy) and the genres (esp. sermons and systematic-polemical writings) of Augustine’s oeuvre concerning his teachings on faith as grace

Augustine of Hippo as Doctor Pacis: Studies on Peace in the Contemporary World Vol. 2

Debate is ongoing about Augustine’s political philosophy, and more particularly about his views on the relations between Church and State. This volume brings together a number of contributions that examine Augustine’s theoretical views on the subject. Augustine assumed his responsibilities as a theologian and Church leader: the truth of the faith and the unity of the Church could not be compromised. He did not hesitate to appeal to the civil authorities in the pursuit of this goal. In fact, he even ventured to deploy the civil authority, the emperor, against an ecclesiastical authority such as Pope Zosimus. This appeal to the secular arm of power was inspired on the one hand by Augustine’s concern for the preservation of order and peace, and on the other by his faith in the rights of truth. Yet this aspiration of Augustine’s was not absolute either. He rejected the idea that humans should be converted forcibly, against their will. He also condemned anything that compromised the physical integrity of human beings. In short, Augustine also recognised the value of the political system. This served to safeguard the good ends of earthly life, i.e. peace and justice. But Augustine believed this earthly peace and justice were reflections of the heavenly peace and justice, which are the foundation of earthly order and stability

Intégrer des connaissances linguistiques dans un CRF : application à l'apprentissage d'un segmenteur-étiqueteur du français

International audienceDans cet article, nous synthétisons les résultats de plusieurs séries d'expériences réalisées à l'aide de CRF (Conditional Random Fields ou "champs markoviens conditionnels") linéaires pour apprendre à annoter des textes français à partir d'exemples, en exploitant diverses ressources linguistiques externes. Ces expériences ont porté sur l'étiquetage morphosyntaxique intégrant l'identification des unités polylexicales. Nous montrons que le modèle des CRF est capable d'intégrer des ressources lexicales riches en unités multi-mots de différentes manières et permet d'atteindre ainsi le meilleur taux de correction d'étiquetage actuel pour le français

Cost-effectiveness modeling of abatacept versus other biologic agents in DMARDS and anti-TNF inadequate responders for the management of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis

To assess the cost-effectiveness of abatacept compared to different biologic treatment strategies for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis based on current medical practices in Canada. A model was constructed to assess the cost-effectiveness of various biologic treatments over a 2-year time horizon, using two effectiveness endpoints: "low disease activity state” (LDAS) and "remission”. Abatacept, as first biologic agent after an inadequate response to DMARDs, provides greater treatment success rate for achieving LDAS (29.4% versus 15.6%) and remission (14.8% versus 5.2%), and appears significantly more cost-effective compared to the sequential use of anti-TNF agents (p < 0.001). Abatacept, as second biologic agent after an inadequate response to one anti-TNF agent, provides greater treatment success rate for achieving LDAS (17.1% versus 10.2%) and remission (7.4% versus 3.9%) and appears significantly more cost-effective compared to the sequential use of anti-TNF agents (p < 0.001). Abatacept is a cost-effective strategy in patients with an inadequate response to DMARDs or to one anti-TNF agen

Agustín de Hipona como Doctor Pacis: Estudios sobre la paz en el mundo contemporáneo Vol. 1

Analizar la filosofía política de Agustín es un debate actual, particularmente su reflexión sobre la iglesia y el estado. Esta obra recopila una serie de contribuciones que examinan las perspectivas teóricas de Agustín a este respecto. Agustín comprendió sus responsabilidades como líder de la teología y de la iglesia: la veracidad de la fe y la unidad de la iglesia no podían comprometerse. Nunca dudó en apelar a las actividades civiles con el fin de lograr su objetivo. De hecho, se aventuró a expandir la autoridad civil, al emperador, contra una autoridad eclesiástica como la del papa Zósimo. Esta apelación al brazo secular del poder estuvo influenciada, de un lado, por la preocupación de Agustín sobre la preservación del orden y la paz y, de otro, por su creencia del derecho a la verdad; aunque esta aspiración de Agustín no fue del todo absoluta. Rechazó la idea de que los humanos se debían convertir a la fuerza, contra su voluntad. También condenó cualquier cosa que comprometiera la integridad física de los seres humanos. En resumen, Agustín reconoció el valor del sistema político, lo cual sirvió para salvaguardar los buenos fines de la vida terrenal: la paz y la justicia. No obstante, Agustín creía que la paz y la justicia terrenal eran reflejos de la paz y la justicia celestial, pues es esto último la base del orden y la estabilidad en la tierra

Bronchiectasis Rheumatoid Overlap Syndrome Is an Independent Risk Factor for Mortality in Patients With Bronchiectasis:A Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: This study assessed if bronchiectasis (BR) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), when manifesting as an overlap syndrome (BROS), were associated with worse outcomes than other BR etiologies applying the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI). METHODS: Data were collected from the BSI databases of 1,716 adult patients with BR across six centers: Edinburgh, United Kingdom (608 patients); Dundee, United Kingdom (n = 286); Leuven, Belgium (n = 253); Monza, Italy (n = 201); Galway, Ireland (n = 242); and Newcastle, United Kingdom (n = 126). Patients were categorized as having BROS (those with RA and BR without interstitial lung disease), idiopathic BR, bronchiectasis-COPD overlap syndrome (BCOS), and "other" BR etiologies. Mortality rates, hospitalization, and exacerbation frequency were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients with BROS (8.5% of the cohort) were identified. There was a statistically significant relationship between BROS and mortality, although this relationship was not associated with higher rates of BR exacerbations or BR-related hospitalizations. The mortality rate over a mean of 48 months was 9.3% for idiopathic BR, 8.6% in patients with other causes of BR, 18% for RA, and 28.5% for BCOS. Mortality was statistically higher in patients with BROS and BCOS compared with those with all other etiologies. The BSI scores were statistically but not clinically significantly higher in those with BROS compared with those with idiopathic BR (BSI mean, 7.7 vs 7.1, respectively; P < .05). Patients with BCOS had significantly higher BSI scores (mean, 10.4), Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization rates (24%), and previous hospitalization rates (58%). CONCLUSIONS: Both the BROS and BCOS groups have an excess of mortality. The mechanisms for this finding may be complex, but these data emphasize that these subgroups require additional study to understand this excess mortality