Augustine Through The Ages

Providing the first full encyclopedic handling of the thought and influence of St. Augustine of Hippo, editor Fitzgerald (Augustinian Patristic Inst., Rome; editor of Augustinian Studies for Villanova Univ.) and four associate editors supply a much-needed reference for this major patristic figure in the development of Western religious thought. Over 140 scholars have supplied more than 400 articles ranging generally from 200 to 2000 words on double-column pages. Each article is signed, and most contain bibliographies citing both older and more recent scholarship. Topics range from the general (“Anthropology,” “Archaeology,” “Love,” “Time”) to the specific (personal names, places, and Latin titles). A foreword by Jaroslav Pelikan was not seen by this reviewer; nor were the subject and name indexes. Because Augustine’s own life appears not under his name but under “Life, Cultures and Controversies of Augustine,” the index quality will be especially important for mining content. The inclusion of maps and illustrations would have been a plus. Recommended for academic and seminary libraries and public library collections where there is demand.