‘New’ ancient sermons found

Two newly-discovered sermons by one of the early church’s leading theologians, both on a notoriously difficult Biblical passage, are set to be published later this year.

The talks are by Augustine of Hippo, one of the most significant Christian leaders in post-New Testament history, and focus on the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28.

They have been authenticated following an investigation by Christian Tornau, a Latin scholar and professor at the University of Wurzburg. Tornau was contacted in 2024 by a monastery association which asked him to look at a 12th-century manuscript which had originally belonged to Bad Doberan Abbey in Germany but was latterly housed at a monastery in Pelplin, Poland. The document was found to contain six sermons by Augustine (354–430), who wrote such monumental works as Confessions and The City of God.