Augustine, Appolinaris

The speaker focuses on discussing the life and teachings of Ambrose, an Italian bishop from Ephesus in the late 300s who had a significant influence on Western Christian worship practices, particularly hymns. He also delves into his controversies with Nestorius over Mary's role as the God-bearer and contrasting it with Apollinarianism, which denied Jesus Christ's full humanity by claiming he only had a divine mind. The speaker then transitions to discussing Aurelius Augustine of Hippo, who initially struggled with his faith but found inspiration in Bishop Ambrose's preaching. He moved away from Manichaeism and embraced Christianity around 386 or 387, becoming a bishop by 19. The speaker outlines various theological controversies that Augustine was involved in, including Donatism, Pelagianism (which denied inherited sinful nature), and his arguments against Apollinarius' views on Jesus not having a human mind. They also delve into Neoplatonism and its influence on early Christian thought, along with the historical context of the Roman Empire being intertwined with state religion at that time.