In Tyconiusâ Book of Rules Matthew R. Lynskey explores the church-centric interpretation of ancient biblical exegete Tyconius in his hermeneutical treatise Liber regularum. Influential within his Donatist tradition and the broader context of early North African Christianity, Tyconius wrote one of the earliest works on exegetical theory and praxis in Latin Christianity.
By investigating five key concepts undergirding Tyconiusâs theology of church, Lynskey demonstrates how Tyconiusâ ecclesiology shaped his hermeneutical enterprise. Through careful readings and close analysis of Liber regularum, this study seeks to describe Tyconiusâ exegesis on its own terms, reflecting on notable historical, theological, formational, and missiological implications of his ecclesial exegesis as it concerns the ancient and contemporary church.
Matthew R. Lynskey, Ph.D. (2018), University of South Africa, serves in Training and Theological Formation at unfoldingWord. He is the author of the spiritual formation journal Sacred Markings (Noble Imprint, forthcoming) and modern church-based catechism series The Narrative Journey (Noble Imprint, forthcoming).
Preface Citation Note Abbreviations
Part 1 Mapping the Landscape: Reconstructing Tyconiusâ Mental World
1 Introduction
â1âLimitations and Specific Inquiry
â2âMethodological Considerations
â3âOverview and Outline
â4âConclusion
2 Grasping Tyconiusâ Personal Profile, Ecclesiastical Setting, and Literary Prologue
â1âPersonal Profile: A Sketch of Tyconius, the Man
â2âEcclesiastical Setting: Roman North African Christianity and the Donatist Divide
â3âLiterary Prologue: The Key to the Keys
â4âConclusion
Part 2 Standing at the Crossroads: Assessing the Intersection of Tyconiusâ Ecclesiology and Hermeneutic
3 Bridegroom and Bride: The Church as Body of Christ
â1âTyconian Ecclesiology: The Body of Christ
â2âTyconian Hermeneutics: An Ontological Hermeneutics
â3âConclusion
4 Black and Beautiful: The Church as Bipartite Body
â1âTyconian Ecclesiology: The Bipartite Church
â2âTyconian Hermeneutics: Transformational Hermeneutics
â3âConclusion
5 The Septiform Church: The Church as Spiritual World
â1âTyconian Ecclesiology: The Spiritual World
â2âTyconian Hermeneutics: Spiritual-Sapiential Hermeneutics
â3âConclusion
6 The Living Stone: The Church as Universal People of God
â1âTyconian Ecclesiology: The Universal People
â2âTyconian Hermeneutics: Ecumenical Hermeneutics
â3âConclusion
7 The Last People: The Church as Eschatological Community
â1âTyconian Ecclesiology: The Pilgrim People
â2âTyconian Hermeneutics: Eschatological Hermeneutics
â3âConclusion
Conclusion
â1âToward an Ontological Hermeneutics
â2âToward a Transformational Hermeneutics
â3âToward a Spiritual-Sapiential Hermeneutics
â4âToward an Ecumenical Hermeneutics
â5âToward an Eschatological Hermeneutics
â6âConclusion
Bibliography Index
All interested in the study of early North African Christianity, the history of early Christian exegesis, ressourcement theology, early Christian spirituality, and the nature of ecclesial hermeneutics.