1. Home
  2. Religion & Spirituality
  3. Agnosticism / Atheism
Augustinians
<Back to Last Page >     <Glossary Index>

 Related Terms
• Dominicans
• Franciscans
• Capuchins
• Carmelites

 

Name:
Augustinian Hermits
Austin Hermits
Augustinians
Augustine Hermits

Founded:
Founder: Pope Alexander IV
Date: May 4, 1256

Profile:
One of the four largest and most influential monastic orders of the Middle Ages, the Augustinian Hermits were so named because they closely followed the Rule of St. Augustine. They did not entirely seclude themselves from the word; instead, they tended to be active in scholarship, philosophy, and theology. There were a couple of thousand Augustinian houses in Europe in the 15th century and Martin Luther even belonged to one, but their numbers and influence declined sharply after the Reformation.


Also Known As: none

Alternate Spellings: none

Common Misspellings: none

Related Resources:

What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.

What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.

What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?

What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.

<Back to Last Page >     <Glossary Index>
Explore Agnosticism / Atheism
About.com Special Features

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

Prayers for All Occasions

Use these prayers to inspire and inform your own conversations with God. More >

  1. Home
  2. Religion & Spirituality
  3. Agnosticism / Atheism

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.