Religio Augustini: Augustine and Spirituality in the Augustinian Order

Abstract

The article reveals the social ideal that helped to form the self-identity of the Augustinian Order. This self-identity was bound with the notion of the Augustine’s religion (“religio Augustini”). The notion firstly appeared in the context of political controversy between Pope John XXII and Louis of Bavaria. Augustine of Ancona put religio Augustini in the context of a more broad term micro-religion (religio particula-ris) as opposed to macro-religion (Christianity). He also formed criteria for comparison of different micro-religions (Dominican, Franciscan, Benedictine, Cistercian, Augustinian) thus opening the door for further development of a particular “Augustine’s religion”. The latter is based upon the idea of perfect life, an ideal for Augustinian hermits, which is also presented as an ideal of apostolic life.