This theological and philological commentary provides a detailed description of Augustines argument and reveals the areas where Augustine misrepresents or oversimplifies Porphyrys thought in the Deregressu animae and other works. This work establishes a new foundation for any future work on Porphyrys Deregressu animae. Via comparison with Porphyrys extant Greek works and fragments, the commentary sheds light on seven key topics in Augustines presentation: 1) the spiritual soul, 2) the nature of theurgy, 3) the report that Porphyry attributes passsiones to the gods, 4) the coherence of the De regressu animae with Porphyrys other works, in particular his De philosophia ex oraculis and Epistula ad Anebontem, 5) the report on the purifying principia, 6) Porphyrys views on reincarnation, and 7) the universal way of salvation.

David C. DeMarco studied classics and New Testament and Early Christian Literature, followed by a Dr. theol. in Germany. Since 2019 he is a post-doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Protestant Theology, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.