Lal Dingluaia: Genesis as a test case for Augustine’s approach to the Vetus Latina

Early Christian writers take great interest in the Book of Genesis. Augustine, too, attempted to explicate the beginning of the Book of Genesis at least five times. As early as 388/389 CE, Augustine wrote On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees, and theUnfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis was written about 393 CE. The last three books of Augustine’s Confessions, written around 397-401 CE, was also an exposition of the beginning of Genesis. Then, Augustine laboured about fifteen years to produce The Literal meaning ofGenesis. Finally, he again turned to the beginning of the Book of Genesis in book eleven of theCity of God that was written around 416 CE.As Augustine extensively dealt with the early chapters of the Book of Genesis, this paper will take Genesis as a test case for his approach to the Vetus Latina. It will examine his stance to the translation and circulation of Scripture and asked how Augustine attempted to reconcile the inevitable differences between Jerome’s translation of the Scripture with that of the Vetus Latina. It will look at how Augustine makes quotation in these books and see whether his own citations were consistent or provide evidence for a variety of versions.