Showing results for "Boethius" in All Categories

The Consolation of Philosophy is one of the key works in the rich tradition of Western philosophy, partly because of the circumstances in which it was written. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c480-c524) was of aristocratic Roman birth and became consul and then master of offices at Ravenna, one of the highest posts under the Ostrogothic Roman ruler Theodoric. But Boethius was unjustly charged with treason in 524, and this led to house arrest, then torture and execution.

Charged with treason under Theodoric the Great in sixth-century Rome, Boethius served one year's imprisonment, awaiting trial and eventual execution. During this time, he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, which would go on to be one of the most popular philosophical works of all time, contributing much to medieval thought and influencing the likes of Dante and Chaucer, as well as Renaissance writers, such as Milton and Shakespeare.

Consolation of Philosophy (Latin Consolatio Philosophiae) is a profound philosophical work by Boethius, penned around 524 AD. Often hailed as the most significant and influential text in medieval and early Renaissance Christianity, it represents the final great work of Classical thought. Written during Boethius year of imprisonment while awaiting trial and a tragic execution for treason by the Ostrogothic King Theodoric the Great, this book emerges from his devastating fall from power due to betrayal. Through his reflections on the fickleness of fortune and the betrayal of friends, Boethius ...

What do you do when your life has fallen apart? Fifteen hundred years ago, a Roman nobleman named Boethius asked this question as he was sitting in a prison cell waiting to die, accused—probably unjustly—of treason. Boethius had been a rich and powerful man with all a person could want in life, but now he had lost everything. Shaken, he wondered how such terrible misfortune could have happened to him and why life was so unfair.

In the last years of his life, Boethius turned his attention to a profoundly significant yet seemingly different subject theology. He penned four concise yet impactful letters, two addressed to Symmachus and two to their mutual friend, John the Deacon, tackling the pressing theological issues of his time. The first letter to Symmachus, titled How that the Trinity is one God and not three Gods, offers a robust critique of the Arian heresy. The second letter to John, entitled Whether Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be substantially predicated of Divinity, continues this critical discourse. The ...

Can Christians today read the great classics of Greco-Roman pagan literature for spiritual formation and growth in the virtues? Classical scholar Nadya Williams responds with an unequivocal "Yes!" Even in the Late Roman Empire Christian readers, like Augustine and Boethius, did just this. But...

It is time Christians rediscovered the benefits of reading the great works of Greco-Roman classical literature as Christians. Can Christians today read the Greco-Roman pagan classics for spiritual formation and growth in the virtues? Classical scholar Nadya Williams responds with an unequivocal...

Philosophy as Consolation: Boethius and the Art of Inner Freedom explores what it means to live with dignity amid uncertainty, loss, and injustice. Revisiting the timeless wisdom of The Consolation of Philosophy, this work draws it into dialogue with the disquiet of the present—political repression, economic precarity, identity fragmentation, and technological disorientation. Without retreating into nostalgia or false comfort, the book asks how thought can remain steady when the world shifts, and what kind of freedom survives when all else is taken.

Before there was "Chicken Soup for the Soul" or "The Secret," there was a condemned Roman aristocrat writing philosophy by candlelight while awaiting execution. Meet Boethius: Rome's most overachieving nerd who went from Senate superstar to death row philosopher faster than you can say "political conspiracy."

Though many of us might answer "yes" to that question, attracting more joy into our lives is not always easy - life and stress can seem to hinder our well-being, despite our best efforts. What’s worse, studies have shown that pressuring yourself to feel happy and upbeat when you feel down can actually take a toll on us psychologically! So, where do you begin? The solution lies in understanding the innate psychological forces that conspire against us.