A new tendency that has
emerged in the second half of the 20th century and is still on-going is a
form of reception that uses Augustine's rich and diverse body of
thought as a quarry from which to adapt some of his ideas in a new
context, without, however, taking over the metaphysical or theological
dimensions which, of course, form an integral part of Augustine's
thinking throughout. One could speak here tentatively of a
secularisation of Augustine's legacy, that is, an activity of changing
or transforming this legacy (or parts of it), so that it is no longer
under the control or influence of religion or necessarily depends on the
existence of a transcendent world and a (in Augustine's case Christian)
God. Naturally, this is a phenomenon typical of recent decades in the
Western world in general, where it can also be observed as operative in
the spheres of art, education, morality, and society overall. In this
contribution we will concentrate on examples pertaining to the reception
of Augustine that demonstrate this pattern of reception in a world
outside of church and Christianity, comprising political theory,
literature, philosophy, psychotherapy, and semiotics.
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