" ... but thence gathered and reduced into one, that the memory of slow persons might not be distressed; that every person may be able to say, able to hold, what he believes....
You tell ME what that means.
Wow, dude, pretty blue language for a PG forum! It’s funny - I was just getting ready to apologize for inadvertently misconstruing as personal what was simply juvenile and ill thought. Maybe I was right after all.
As far as Augustine’s quote goes, although I suppose it lacks the rhetorical elegance of words and phrases like “screw you” and “you really ARE stupid”, it makes perfect sense to me.
These words which you have heard are in the Divine Scriptures scattered up and down:
dono- offers:The creed is composed of words that are found in the Holy Scripture
but thence gathered and reduced into one, that the memory of slow persons might not be distressed; that every person may be able to say, able to hold, what he believes.
don-o offers: These words and the concepts they put forth are compiled into a short form. This is helpful, lest some of lesser mental ability might despair that he could not understand the tenets of the faith.
For have ye now merely heard that God is Almighty? But ye begin to have him for your father, when you have been born by the church as your Mother.
don-o paraphrase: As catechumens, you have learned the facts of the matter. Soon, Almighty God will indeed be your Father when you are received into His Church.