St. Augustine Research Paper
St. Augustine
St. Augustine St. Augustine might be known for being an influential scholar that was considered to be a very intellectual and thoughtful thinker; but what many don’t realize is that he was a turn around man. In the early years of his life he lived with ease, he partied and loved entertainment. He was an inspiration because of his conversion back to Christianity and finally realizing it was the true religion. Some of his pieces included subjects such as: Grace, the Trinity, the Soul, Predestination, the Sacraments, Sexuality and Free will. He was not only known for being a philosopher but as a teacher, father, presbyter and a bishop of the Catholic Church. One of his more famous works that he has been credited for is “Confessions.” This work was an autobiography that followed his life and times during his journey towards salvation. Through his life he was made a major impact on Catholicism in his times with the western church, and Protestantism while on his journey to salvation.
St. Augustine was born in the year 354, in a city called Tagaste. Tagaste was known to have lots of culture and was called the ‘hub of civilization’. Today Tagaste is located in present day Algeria in Northern Africa. Augustine was born to a pious Christian mother, Monica; and his …show more content…
father a pagan of significant social status in society, Patricius. At the age of seventeen years old, He had fallen in love for the first time in his life with this lady that he never gives the name of. In “Confessions”, he explains his emotions and feelings that he has for this woman but at then end of it he cannot marry her because of her low social status in life. One year later, his fellow love gives birth to
their son, Adeodatus, “a gift from the gods.” She becomes his unofficial wife for the next thirteen years. In order to pursue the higher life of philosophy and broaden his wisdom, he began to study and follow the Manichaean religion. The Manichaean religion is based of teachings by the prophet Mani, and the struggle between good and evil. Over the years he began to grow dissatisfied with teachings of Manichaeism and began to question it. Shortly leaving Carthage, he was offered one of the top teaching positions as the professor of rhetoric for the imperial court in Milan. In his time in Milan, he began to become greatly influenced by the bishop of Milan, Ambrose. It is through Ambrose’s speech that St. Augustine realized that the manichees were not completely right about Catholic Christianity, it could be defended. Never the less Augustine began to dismiss the Manicheans teachings, and further proceed in his conversion to Christianity.
After being baptized along with his son, Adeodatus, He had decided to return back to their home in Northern Africa. St. Augustine rapidly gained a better and better reputation as more people herd he was back. He decided to set up a monastic study focus community with several friends in the town. In 391 he visited Hippo Reguis in the hope to convert a friend, but instead was asked to become the presbyter. He later went on to succeed the previous bishop and become the Bishop of Hippo where he dealt with Manichaeism, Donatism, and Pelagianism.
St. Augustine lived on until the age of seventy-six where he had died under siege by the Vandal army. He had died from a fever illness only after the third month of the
blockade. He refused to give up and abandon the land, and stood up for what he believed in.
To this day St. Augustine is still referred to as an influential and popular figure in both Christianity and the western thought. He has written numerous works throughout his life but is most renowned for the “city of god” and “Confessions”. In the “city of god” he talks about the response to pagans and the accusation that Christianity is the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire. He attacks the pagans for their false accusations that Christianity was the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire, and annihilates their beliefs and what they call laws. The other contribution that inspired many was “ Confessions”, known to be the first autobiography in western thought.
In the thirteen books he talks about his wild childhood sins and how he has changed and eventually converts to Christianity. He further goes on to tell us of his regrets for his sinful childhood and the mistake he has done for following the Manichean religion. He then realizes that it was Ambrose, the bishop of Milan who changed his perspective and his life as whole. Ambrose goes on to baptize himself as well as his son. To this day his book is considered a significant part of history that deals with spiritual meditations and divine
insights. In Confessions, Book two, St. Augustine begins to talk about his wicked youth and the corruptness that he had portrayed. He deplores the unacceptable childhood that he had with grief, and passions he used to indulge. In book 2 Chapter 1 he says, “I will now call to mind my past foulness, and the carnal corruptions of my soul, not because I love them, but that I may love Thee, O my God.” After reading this it seems to me that he is telling us of his troubled days when he was not an ethical person. He tells us how his past foulness and corruption of his soul was not something he was proud of, and that he did it for the people. He later goes on to say “I lost myself among many vanities. For I even longed in my youth formerly to be satisfied with worldly things, and I dared to grow wild again with various and shadowy loves; my form consumed away, and I became corrupt in Thine eyes, pleasing myself, and eager to please in the eyes of men. “ Here he talks about how he lost himself in his wrong doings for no apparent reason but to please other people and to show himself and who he was. I believe he is trying to tell us through ‘Confessions’ how was a coward and an unethical person and might have screwed up in his earlier years. He trys to tell us through confessions that there is always a light in our pathway, and no matter how bad or troubled we might have been there is still a good we can transform into. Personally I think that St. Augustine is an inspiration story for many to read about. Not everyone might have started their life’s the way they have wanted due to personal choices are forced to. He shows us that anything is possible and anyone can become a good person.
Confessions Book 2
I will now call to mind my past foulness, and the carnal corruptions of my soul, not because I love them, but that I may love Thee, O my God. For love of Thy love do I it, recalling, in the very bitterness of my remembrance, my most vicious ways, that Thou mayest grow sweet to me,--Thou sweetness without deception! Thou sweetness happy and assured! and re-collecting myself out of that my dissipation, in which I was torn to pieces, while, turned away from Thee the One, I lost myself among many vanities. For I even longed in my youth formerly to be satisfied with worldly things, and I dared to grow wild again with various and shadowy loves; my form consumed away, and I became corrupt in Thine eyes, pleasing myself, and eager to please in the eyes of men.
Works Cited
Burt, Donald X. "Augustine's Life." Augustine's Life. University of Villanova, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://www41.homepage.villanova.edu/donald.burt/augustine.htm>.
Feisser, James, ed. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Augustine []. IEP, 5 June 2005. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/augustin/>.
Gill, NS. "Manichaeism." About.com Ancient / Classical History. About, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/religionmythology/g/051309Manicheeism.htm>.
"St. Augustine (354-430)." St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Religion Facts, 17 Mar. 2004. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/people/augustine.htm>.
"St. Augustine of Hippo | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org." St. Augustine of Hippo | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org. Fransicans, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. <http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1121>.
"St. Augustine of Hippo." - Saints & Angels. Catholic Online, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=418>.
St. Augustine St. Augustine might be known for being an influential scholar that was considered to be a very intellectual and thoughtful thinker; but what many don’t realize is that he was a turn around man. In the early years of his life he lived with ease, he partied and loved entertainment. He was an inspiration because of his conversion back to Christianity and finally realizing it was the true religion. Some of his pieces included subjects such as: Grace, the Trinity, the Soul, Predestination, the Sacraments, Sexuality and Free will. He was not only known for being a philosopher but as a teacher, father, presbyter and a bishop of the Catholic Church. One of his more famous works that he has been credited for is “Confessions.” This work was an autobiography that followed his life and times during his journey towards salvation. Through his life he was made a major impact on Catholicism in his times with the western church, and Protestantism while on his journey to salvation.
St. Augustine was born in the year 354, in a city called Tagaste. Tagaste was known to have lots of culture and was called the ‘hub of civilization’. Today Tagaste is located in present day Algeria in Northern Africa. Augustine was born to a pious Christian mother, Monica; and his …show more content…
father a pagan of significant social status in society, Patricius. At the age of seventeen years old, He had fallen in love for the first time in his life with this lady that he never gives the name of. In “Confessions”, he explains his emotions and feelings that he has for this woman but at then end of it he cannot marry her because of her low social status in life. One year later, his fellow love gives birth to
their son, Adeodatus, “a gift from the gods.” She becomes his unofficial wife for the next thirteen years. In order to pursue the higher life of philosophy and broaden his wisdom, he began to study and follow the Manichaean religion. The Manichaean religion is based of teachings by the prophet Mani, and the struggle between good and evil. Over the years he began to grow dissatisfied with teachings of Manichaeism and began to question it. Shortly leaving Carthage, he was offered one of the top teaching positions as the professor of rhetoric for the imperial court in Milan. In his time in Milan, he began to become greatly influenced by the bishop of Milan, Ambrose. It is through Ambrose’s speech that St. Augustine realized that the manichees were not completely right about Catholic Christianity, it could be defended. Never the less Augustine began to dismiss the Manicheans teachings, and further proceed in his conversion to Christianity.
After being baptized along with his son, Adeodatus, He had decided to return back to their home in Northern Africa. St. Augustine rapidly gained a better and better reputation as more people herd he was back. He decided to set up a monastic study focus community with several friends in the town. In 391 he visited Hippo Reguis in the hope to convert a friend, but instead was asked to become the presbyter. He later went on to succeed the previous bishop and become the Bishop of Hippo where he dealt with Manichaeism, Donatism, and Pelagianism.
St. Augustine lived on until the age of seventy-six where he had died under siege by the Vandal army. He had died from a fever illness only after the third month of the
blockade. He refused to give up and abandon the land, and stood up for what he believed in.
To this day St. Augustine is still referred to as an influential and popular figure in both Christianity and the western thought. He has written numerous works throughout his life but is most renowned for the “city of god” and “Confessions”. In the “city of god” he talks about the response to pagans and the accusation that Christianity is the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire. He attacks the pagans for their false accusations that Christianity was the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire, and annihilates their beliefs and what they call laws. The other contribution that inspired many was “ Confessions”, known to be the first autobiography in western thought.
In the thirteen books he talks about his wild childhood sins and how he has changed and eventually converts to Christianity. He further goes on to tell us of his regrets for his sinful childhood and the mistake he has done for following the Manichean religion. He then realizes that it was Ambrose, the bishop of Milan who changed his perspective and his life as whole. Ambrose goes on to baptize himself as well as his son. To this day his book is considered a significant part of history that deals with spiritual meditations and divine
insights. In Confessions, Book two, St. Augustine begins to talk about his wicked youth and the corruptness that he had portrayed. He deplores the unacceptable childhood that he had with grief, and passions he used to indulge. In book 2 Chapter 1 he says, “I will now call to mind my past foulness, and the carnal corruptions of my soul, not because I love them, but that I may love Thee, O my God.” After reading this it seems to me that he is telling us of his troubled days when he was not an ethical person. He tells us how his past foulness and corruption of his soul was not something he was proud of, and that he did it for the people. He later goes on to say “I lost myself among many vanities. For I even longed in my youth formerly to be satisfied with worldly things, and I dared to grow wild again with various and shadowy loves; my form consumed away, and I became corrupt in Thine eyes, pleasing myself, and eager to please in the eyes of men. “ Here he talks about how he lost himself in his wrong doings for no apparent reason but to please other people and to show himself and who he was. I believe he is trying to tell us through ‘Confessions’ how was a coward and an unethical person and might have screwed up in his earlier years. He trys to tell us through confessions that there is always a light in our pathway, and no matter how bad or troubled we might have been there is still a good we can transform into. Personally I think that St. Augustine is an inspiration story for many to read about. Not everyone might have started their life’s the way they have wanted due to personal choices are forced to. He shows us that anything is possible and anyone can become a good person.
Confessions Book 2
I will now call to mind my past foulness, and the carnal corruptions of my soul, not because I love them, but that I may love Thee, O my God. For love of Thy love do I it, recalling, in the very bitterness of my remembrance, my most vicious ways, that Thou mayest grow sweet to me,--Thou sweetness without deception! Thou sweetness happy and assured! and re-collecting myself out of that my dissipation, in which I was torn to pieces, while, turned away from Thee the One, I lost myself among many vanities. For I even longed in my youth formerly to be satisfied with worldly things, and I dared to grow wild again with various and shadowy loves; my form consumed away, and I became corrupt in Thine eyes, pleasing myself, and eager to please in the eyes of men.
Works Cited
Burt, Donald X. "Augustine's Life." Augustine's Life. University of Villanova, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://www41.homepage.villanova.edu/donald.burt/augustine.htm>.
Feisser, James, ed. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Augustine []. IEP, 5 June 2005. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/augustin/>.
Gill, NS. "Manichaeism." About.com Ancient / Classical History. About, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/religionmythology/g/051309Manicheeism.htm>.
"St. Augustine (354-430)." St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Religion Facts, 17 Mar. 2004. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. <http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/people/augustine.htm>.
"St. Augustine of Hippo | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org." St. Augustine of Hippo | Saint of the Day | AmericanCatholic.org. Fransicans, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. <http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1121>.
"St. Augustine of Hippo." - Saints & Angels. Catholic Online, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=418>.