7 | Rob Trenckmann - Knowledge and Illumination within St Augustine

Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast series from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of those studying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this episode we are joined by Rob Trenckmann, PhD student in the Faculty of Divinity here in Cambridge, as we explore Rob’s research into knowledge and ‘illumination’ in the writings of St Augustine, thinking about what this means for the soul and forms of theological education. Providing their expertise is Professor Simeon Zahl, Professor of Christian Theology also in the Faculty of Divinity. This time round, Rob takes us through Jesus’ use of parables, distinctions between the mind, the body and the soul, and what Rob describes as ‘educational romanticism’. We dearly hope you enjoy! Researcher: Rob Trenckmann Expert Guest: Professor Simeon Zahl Host: Dr Joseph Powell Glossary – Anthropology – In Christianity, the study of how humans relate to God Apologetic – A defence of a faith of a particular aspect of a faith Biblical heart – How the Bible explains the heart as the centre for physical as well as emotional, moral and spiritual faculties Disequilibration – Being off balance, in Christianity referring to the moment before a realisation or awakening of consciousness Dualism – A philosophical concept which sees the mind and body as separate and distinct from each other Ethnography - An anthropological research method often involving immersive fieldwork that seeks to understand human cultures from the perspective of research participants. Falleness – In Christianity, referring to the ‘fall’ of humanity through the sins of Adam and Eve and a subsequent rupturing in the relationship between humanity and God Fideist/Fideism – The view that faith is more important than intellect or reasoning in assessing religious truths Hamartyology – A branch of Christian study that relates to sin Neoplatonist/Neoplatonism – A school of philosophy with Greek origins which has within it ideas including monism, the notion that all reality can be traced back to a single principal or thing Pelagianism – A Christian idea which suggests the Fall did not flaw human nature and that humans can achieve human perfection through the will of God Sanctification – The act of making something holy A Level Specifications – AQA 2B Christianity: Sources of wisdom and authority God Self, death and afterlife Good conduct and key moral principals Expressions of religious identity Christianity and science The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy The dialogue between Christianity and ethics Pearson Edexcel 3 Problems of evil and suffering Problem of evil and suffering Theodicies and solutions to the problem of suffering 6 Influences of developments in religious belief Points for discussion about life after death OCR Philosophy of religion Ancient philosophical influences The nature of the soul, mind and body Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil Ideas about the nature of God Developments in religious thought Sources of religious wisdom and authority Practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition Scottish Highers Specifications SQA Christianity Beliefs Beliefs about God Nature of human beings: free will; sin; stewards Beliefs about Jesus Judgement; Heaven and Hell