The Book of Rules of Tyconius: Its Purpose and Inner Logic

The _Liber Regularum_, written by Tyconius in the Fourth Century A.D., was the first system of biblical interpretation proposed by a Latin theologian. Augustine was very interested in this work and included an extraordinary summation of it in his De doctrina christiana. Although this treatment insured the preservation of the work and its lasting fame, Augustine's summary became better known than the original.\u000a\u000a Pamela Bright's _The Book of Rules of Tyconius: Its Purpose and Inner Logic_ reintroduces this neglected classic of early church literature. Bright asserts that although Augustine was greatly influenced by the _Liber Regularum_, his philosophical differences caused him to misunderstand its meaning. Bright reexamines the meaning of 'prophecy' and 'rule' from Tyconius's perspective and reveals that the purpose of the book was not to provide a general guide to scriptural interpretation, but rather a way to interpret apocalyptic texts. She cites Tyconius's intense concern with evil in the church as the genesis of his interest in the apocalypse and subsequently the meaning of the scripture concerning it. Tyconius speaks of the 'seven mystical rules' of scripture that with the grace of the Holy Spirit reveal the true meaning of prophecy. If an interpreter follows the 'logic' of these rules, the nature of the church as composed by both good and evil membership is revealed.\u000a\u000aBright argues that Tyconius was not illogical or incompetent in the work's composition as many critics have claimed but rather that he organized his material in a concentric pattern so that Rule Four, the center of the seven rules, is also the central development of his theory. Of interest to theologians, students of biblical interpretation and of Augustine, _The Book of Rules of Tyconius_ focuses attention upon a work that had great influence on the understanding of the nature of the church, on interpreting scripture, and its meaning for the Church of its day.\u000a\u000a\u00A9 University of Notre Dame\u000a\u000aCopyright for most content is held by The University of Notre Dame. Reproduction of all or any portion of content constitutes a violation of copyright. You must obtain permission from The Copyright Clearance Center or The University of Notre Dame Press in order to reprint (or adapt) content.\u000a\u000ap: (574) 631-6346 \ e: undpress@nd\.edu \ website: copyright\.com