Augustine's Purpose Of The Confessions

The most popular of St. Augustine’s works, The Confessions, are categorized in the genre of a Soliloquy—meaning a dialogue with one’s self. However, the book is more about God than about St. Augustine, even though it is written from his perspective and accounts his notions about God. He spent his first 30 years apart from God, even persecuting Catholics from the comfort of his Manchean community. After being converted to Christianity in 386 AD, baptized in 387 AD, ordained as a priest in 391 AD, and writing numerous letters, sermons, and philosophical/religious documents, he wanted to know the truth of man’s soul. This inspired him to write The Confessions, as a way of reflecting spiritually over the events of his life and to recognize and
Although he could have written The Confessions to inspire others to reflect on God’s hand at work throughout their own lives, it doesn’t seem to be his purpose because it is not addressed to others—it is addressed to God. But he does hope that when others read it, they will love God more: “I do it to arouse my own loving devotion toward you, and that of my readers, so that together we may declare, Great is the Lord, and exceedingly worthy of praise” (XI.1). St. Augustine’s purpose for writing was for his own soul and for
This idea is supported by how each of his life reflections is paired with a reflection on God. In book X, he begins by accepting that there is a universal desire for happiness. But how can that happiness be attained? He discovers that true happiness if find in God: “…You yourself are [our] joy. This is the happy life, and it is not be found anywhere else” (X.32). Although St. Augustine holds this knowledge in his mind, he is not able to transfer it to his heart. He can’t seem to live it out, he keeps using other means to be happy. He dedicates the middle portion of the chapter to his struggles with touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight, and pride. For purposes of example, specifically he admits that he struggles mostly with concupiscence of the flesh. He reflects on the sequence his struggle has unfolded: “Quite certainly you command me to refrain from concupiscence of the flesh and concupiscence of the eyes… and because you granted me the grace, this was the course I took… yet in my memory… sexual images survive” (X.41). St. Augustine finds that he knows and desires to follow God’s commands, yet he repeatedly rebels against the very thing standard he is trying to live by, even though he doesn’t want to! Despite his reflection on his failings in this particular area, he ends the chapter with a