The Book of Rules of Tyconius by Bright Pamela;

Author:Bright, Pamela;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
Published: 2016-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE DOUBLE LITERARY STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF RULES

In the previous chapter it was argued that there was a double purpose in the writing of the Book of Rules; the first was the explicit purpose, the elaboration of the hermeneutical system, and the second was to address a question central in the disputes between the Catholics and Donatists, the “mystery of iniquity” in the Church. The symmetrical structure fits this double intention very well because of the double literary focus of this kind of pattern. The obvious literary focus is Rule IV, the center of the sets of parallel topics, while a second movement is established by the cumulative force of the logic of the argument as it moves from Rule I through to Rule VII, the conclusion of the book.

(a) the “concentric” argument focused on Rule IV.

(b) the “linear” argument from Rule I to Rule VII.

In the Book of Rules, the static center of the literary structure is Rule IV, in which is concentrated the fullest exposition of the hermeneutical theory, the pneumatological character of biblical hermeneutics.68 The linear movement from Rule I through Rule VII follows the lines of argumentation concerning the issue that dominated African ecclesiology, the question of evil membership in the Church.

This chapter has studied, first, the parallel features of the topics building up the concentric arrangements around Rule IV. Now the cumulative argument from Rule I through Rule VII will be considered in relationship to Tyconius’ theme of the “mystery of iniquity.”

While carefully positioning the full development of his theory in the center of the Book of Rules, Tyconius uses the linear thrust of the argument to exemplify the urgent pastoral task of the biblical exegete in the Church.

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