St. Augustine s Confessions - 1607 Words

Saint Augustine’s â€Å"Confessions† is an extremely important book, not only for the reason it is the very first, or one of the first spiritual biographies, but because Augustine was and continues to be one of the most important Christian theologians in history. His biography reflects his views on Christian scripture and theology as well as his personal journey on how he came to be a part of the Christian faith. Some noteworthy parts of his biography are; how he becomes a Manichean, when he meets Faustus and Bishop Ambrose, when he repudiates Manichaeism and gives up his career to devote himself to god and finally, how he discusses how Christian scripture can and should be interpreted. â€Å"Confessions† allows people to see Augustine as a man and a human being who had to struggle to find himself just as we all must do. Even one of the greatest theologians and greatest thinkers in history had to find his way in life, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally; all which are demonstrated in his biography. Augustine was attending school in Carthage at the time he became involved with the Manichaean tradition. His studies in school were originally in law but during his studies he found a deep love for philosophy and decided to change his focus in school. His studies in philosophy eventually led him to study the Bible. However, he was not pleased with literary style in the Bible stating in his biography that â€Å"when I then turned toward the scriptures, they appeared to me to be quiteShow MoreRelatedSt. Augustine s Confessions1914 Words   |  8 PagesSt. Augustine was a theologian and philosopher born in Africa to St. Monica. Although he is now known as a an incredibly influential Christian writer and thinker, his early years were defined by rebellion and discord that did not, in the least, reflect Christianity or the values that he is now known for supporting. His early years were freckled with mindless disobedience, wretched behavior, and characterized godlessness that makes his conversion to the faith incredibly remarkable and one that isRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions Essay1885 Words   |  8 Pagesexamined in the stories, Genesis, as God creates human beings to live amongst his other creations but to have free reign over the land, the Romans Corinthians, as even Jesus’ faith was to put to the test, and it is deeply explored in St. Augustine’s Confessions. Furthermore, the compatibility of faith and reason is seen in The Book of Matthew as Jesus travels the lands of Israel blessing them with his own faith. Faith and reason would not be attainable if it weren’t for our triune God subtly givingRead MoreJohn Augustine s The Confessions St. Augustine1466 Words   |  6 PagesIn Chapter IV of his Confessions, St. Augustine describes his terrible grief at the death of a friend, and then to the adherence to mortal things, and why he regrets them. He writes that everybody experiences dea th differently, but the death of his close friend made him realize that this life is temporal. He continues saying that he was stricken with grief from the death of his friend and that made him want to move away from his hometown. Everything there brought his friend to mind, and he was alwaysRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions984 Words   |  4 Pagesfaith. For St. Augustine, faith provides more questions than answers, but consequently leads to his life as a bishop and eventually sainthood. For some, however, the Bible provides the answers to all the questions that go unanswered by common sense. In St. Augustine’s Confessions, Augustine is able to further understand himself and his faith in Christ by reflecting on anecdotes of his past. Conversely, the Bible’s use of etiology provides spiritual justification for physical realities. In St. Augustine’sRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pages greed, and sloth (â€Å"The Seven Deadly Sins,† 1). In Saint Augustine’s Confessions, readers get the chance to learn about sin through Saint Augustine’s experiences of sin confrontations and temptations. For instance, in Confessions, the pear tree is depicted as a sin, a symbol of pleasure—Saint Augustine’s original sin. How so? Well, stealing the pears with his friends is Saint Augustine’s first memory of sinning. Saint Augustine sees a parallel connection between the pear tree and the tree of theRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions1233 Words   |  5 PagesSt. Augustine’s Confessions has often been referred to as a book undertaking the subject of conversion. Throughout Augustine of Hippo’s life he underwent several conversions so it is unsurprising that those experiences influenced his books. Although he was baptized as a Christia n at birth, he rejected Christianity until his final conversion at age thirty. After his conversion and eventually beginning a monastic life he became the most important theologian in Christian history until the ReformationRead MoreAnalysis Of St. Augustine s The Confessions 1297 Words   |  6 PagesJake DeLeers Second Four-Page Essay In Books VIII and IX of the Confessions, St. Augustine describes a long and difficult personal spiritual journey to the end of being to accept and receive God’s grace. Augustine finally had to come to terms with his own intellectual and moral pride masquerading as autonomy and independence. He finally realized that his intellect could not serve as a tool to help a will incapable of overcoming his own sin. One useful way to compare Augustine’s spiritual struggleRead MoreAugustine s Confessions And St. Paul Essay1979 Words   |  8 PagesIn Augustine’s Confessions and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, both authors discuss the relationship between fleshy temptation and the purity of the spirit. The Confessions is Augustine’s writes of his extensive search for truth and conversion to Christianity, as he struggles against fleshy temptations and his soul to find rest in God. Augustine’s writes of a constant struggle to reconcile between the dualistic notion of the flesh and spirit with a nuanced understanding of flesh. On theRead MoreConfessions : The Role Of Friendship On St. Augustine s Spiritual Journey Essay2131 Words   |  9 PagesCONFESSIONS: THE ROLE OF FRIENDSHIP ON ST. AUGUSTINE’S SPIRITUAL JOURNEY Originally written during the fourth century, St. Augustine’s autobiographical book, Confessions, was among the most influential models for Christian writers over the course of a millennium. As it is arguably Augustine’s most important text, it continues to influence theological discussion even today. Through writing Confessions, Augustine proves himself to be a professional scrutinizer. He analyzes every aspect of his ownRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions And Dante s Inferno1746 Words   |  7 PagesIn St. Augustine’s Confessions and Dante’s Inferno, the central characters in their respective narratives are presented a message from which induces distinct reactions. More importantly, their reactions are reflections of their perspective concerning the Christian outlook towards life and passion. In Book VIII.xi (29) the reader finds St. Augustine in a state of despair and anguish because of his ongoing internal struggle between his mind and body. Afterwards, he undergoes a surreal experience