Gabriela Jorge English World Literature I 260

Professor Sandra Fyfe10/22/13

ST. Augustine | The Confessions

Author: Augustine of Hippo

Translated by John K. Ryan

Aurelius Augustine's Birth place in 354 Location: North Africa Roman province of Numidia Fertile Land Modern world Souk Ahras, Algeria.

Tagaste

Son of Patricius, who

was a pagan town councilor.

Mother was Christian ( ST. Monica)

Descended from the dark-skinned Europeanized North Africans known as Berbers.

Family Background

ST. Augustine and his mother discuss the kingdom of heaven.

Studied in Carthage ( Tunis, North Africa) Philosophical systems: Manicheanism – Good and evil are the operative forces of

the universe. NeoPlatonism – Souls striving for perfection in an

imperfect world. Became a teacher in 374

Education

Augustine was taught the language of Latin

and became interested in the literature.

Language

Christianity was established

as the official religion on the Roman Empire.

ST. Augustine converted and accepted Christianity and in 387 was baptized a Christian.

Entered monastic society in the Catholic hierarchy to become bishop of Hippo in 396.

Religion

Monica- Augustine's mother who has helped guide

Augustine into salvation.

Ambrose – Also lead to Augustine's conversion was the Catholic Bishop in Milan.

Nebridius and Alypus were Augustine's friends who also seemed to encourage him towards god, as they also converted.

Influential Characters

“Christian Age” Influenced by ST. Augustine after the Roman Empire had

fallen. Christian Martyrs

Middle Ages

The Massacre of the Innocents “ Died not only for Christ, but in his stead.” – ST. Augustine

Christian culture were

established, St. Augustine had many contributions.

Changed the way Christianity was viewed.

Western Europe

His way of thinking was passed on and on from ages and

writings. Church- State Theories from

The City of God

led to the roles of

each and how they

had much to do

with each other.

Political and Social

Augustine's other main works include: The City of God, which appeared between 416 and 422. The Trinity, written between 399 and 419.

Other Written Works

Death

Hippo Regius (Annaba) is where Augustine spent his last 40 years, ministering his diocese and writing works of both theology and moral Philosophy, Where he died in 430.

ST. Augustine went through life trying to figure out

whether or not he should convert into Christianity. In the mean time he focused on education, philosophy, and writings.

Augustine noticed he was living a life full of sins and wanted to help others also make a difference.

He was inspired by Bishop Ambrose from Milan and ended up converting to the religion.

Became priest in 391 and Bishop of Hippo by 396 His works The Confessions helped shape society

ages after.

Summary

From book VIII, Chapter 5 The Grace of Faith “I had no answer to give to you when you said to me.

“Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you.” When on all sides you showed me that your words were true, and I was overcome by your truth, I had no answer whatsoever to make, but only those who slow and drowsy words, “ Right away. Yes right away.” “Let me be for a little while.” But “Right away, right away” was never right now, and “Let me be for a little while” stretched out for a longtime.”

Passage #1

“Such words I spoke, and with most bitter contrition I wept within my heart.

And lo, I heard from a nearby house, a voice like that of a boy or a girl, I know not which, chanting and repeating over and over, “ Take up and read. Take up and read.” Instantly, with altered countenance, I began to think most intently whether children made use of any such chant in some kind of game , but I could not recall hearing it anywhere. I checked the flow of my tears and got up, for I interpreted this solely as a command given to me by God to open the book and read the first chapter I should come upon. For I had heard how Anthony had been admonished by a reading from the Gospel at which he chanced to be present , as if the words read were addressed to him: “ Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me,” and that by such a portent he was immediately converted to you.” - Chapter 12 book 8

Passage #2

Augustine believed in Free Will. Would you agree

that there is such thing as “free will?” or are we put on this earth already destined for a specific purpose? What other works that we have read in this course relate to going on a spiritual search for god and salvation?

Questions

"Augustine, St, of Hippo." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Ed.

Livingstone, E. A.. : Oxford University Press, 2006. Oxford Reference. 2006. Date Accessed 21 Oct. 2013 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198614425.001.0001/acref-9780198614425-e-464>.

 "Augustine, St." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. : Oxford University Press, 2009. Oxford Reference. 2009. Date Accessed 22 Oct. 2013 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199207800.001.0001/acref-9780199207800-e-75>.

  "Augustine, St." The Oxford Classical Dictionary. : Oxford University Press, 2012. Oxford

Reference. 2012. Date Accessed 20 Oct. 2013 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199545568.001.0001/acref-9780199545568-e-977>.

  "pagan, paganism." Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World. Ed. Roberts, John. : Oxford

University Press, 2007. Oxford Reference. 2007. Date Accessed 21 Oct. 2013 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780192801463.001.0001/acref-9780192801463-e-1582>.

Works Cited