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Analysis of augustines the confession
Analysis of augustines the confession
Essay on augustine
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In the first section of Saint Augustine book, book one, Augustine begins by stating that in order to understand the true meaning of scripture, the student studying the text must be able to decipher between the ideas of “signs” and “things”. Book one spends a majority of the textual evidence focusing on the idea of “things” or “things qua things” meaning to look at things, the way they are, or in their absolute truest form. Things are items that can be used to bring joy, happiness and love to human beings, but Augustine argues that should not be the ultimate goal. In fact, Augustine argues that things should be used to enjoy and bring appreciation for the presence of the Lord Almighty. Augustine then states there should be a greater order in …show more content…
This is where Augustine exemplified a framework theory conducted on the connection between “signs” and “things”. Augustine begins by stating words can be considered signs. The clear words are the natural signs, with a direct affiliation to a thing, for example, when a person bleeds, it has an obvious relationship to the cut the individual is suffering from. The harder words are other terms in which human beings give an individualized definition to, in order to to better communicate the desired thing, or end result. An example of this type of sign would be the concepts and definitions of love, hate, passion or beauty, in other terms, something that contains no material or external representation. Augustine concludes book two by restating the connection between the ideas of “things” and “signs”, but adds that the most important aspect to take away from this section of the text, is that the meanings of signs is constructed through the thought of a human individuals. Therefore, Augustine concludes that the knowledge of God an individual can hold is kept …show more content…
The third book in Augustine’s “On Christian Doctrine”, is constructed with the steps or procedures a studying practitioner should adopt to gain a better understanding and conceptualization of scripture. The first being step to adopt is to be able to interpret what is the literal language and what is considered the figurative language. This step relies on the individual’s intelligence, if the scripture being studied is looked from a literal perspective and does not conclude to making sense or leads to the notion of loving thy neighbor, then the passage was meant figuratively. Augustine’s closing thought in book three states that the ultimate parameter in scripture should conclude to love being the ultimate goal. If an individual is not receiving that notion, then that individual is not gaining a true understanding of the word of God. In the final passage of the book, section four, Augustine takes this section to respond to the critics or to the Christians who believe that to know the scripture, there is no human instruction needed. In an obvious sense, Augustine does not agree with the practicing Christians who believe
St. Augustine considers his mother as a crucial factor in his conversion to Catholicism. However through the analysis of his Confessions it leads me to believe that St. Augustine’s mother was not a decisive figure. Monica was in the background keeping him in thought and prayer however Augustine’s watershed moments came as a result of his own examination of readings as well as his conversations with his friends and mentors. Therefore I argue that Monica had delayed Augustine’s baptism and it was his own experiences that allowed him to come to God.
St. Augustine said in the beginning of this chapter, “My desire was not to be more certain of you but to be more stable in you (pg. 133).” One remaining thing that was preventing him from converting is becoming a member of the Church. St. Augustine now possessed a good understanding of God and the perception of evil and considered himself on the path of Christianity, but was still unable to get past becoming a full member of the church. When talking to Simplicianus one thing resonated within St. Augustine that he had said, “I shall not believe that or count you among the Christians unless I see you in the Church of Christ (pg. 136).” St. Augustine was ready to believe in Christ, but was looking for a reason, something that would push him over the edge to devoutly follow Christ and leave his last doubts in the past. He still struggled with the desires of his flesh and the desires of the spirit and has continued to try and find rest in this struggle. Not long after his conversation with Simplicianus he meets with another friend Ponticianus. He tells St. Augustine a story about two men, friends of his, who went on a trip to a monastery and during their trip their eyes were opened and both came to Christ and began to serve him from that moment on.
Which resulted Augustine in exploring the philosophical road that led to his conversion from Macheanism to Neo-Platonism to Christianity. But later felt sorrowful for his mother that had died and confesses to God that everyone is a sinner right when they were born and through God that this sin can only be absorbed. He later moves back to Thagaste and then became Bishop of Hippo. As a “doctor” of the Chruch, he defended Christianity against false (heretic) interpretation. After his conversion, he refused to teach rhetoric. Yet, in the end, no matter what sin he had done Augustine found his savior. Which led him to write about how to convey God’s truth to diverse audiences and demonstrates that both the Bible and one’s own life are texts to be read and assessed against the true Cristian Doctrine. The last four books were like an appendix and offers an interpretation of the opening of the Book of Genesis. When Augustine’s converted to Christianity his appropriation of Platonic ideas uses his past sins and later confesses to God that will eventually enhance his soul and body. The consequences of this appropriation are that sins are considered to be
“Our hearts find no peace until they rest in you” (21). The return to God, the means of doing so, and the manners by which man is turned from him in the first place, are central themes in St. Augustine’s Confessions; a historical work serving as confession, praise, and examination of faith. Autobiographical in nature, Augustine’s work retells the story of his life and of his spiritual journey in retrospect, considering each event and its importance to the larger framework of his religious philosophy, a result of the merging of Neo-Platonist thought and Catholic theology. Through this fusion, Augustine is able to reconcile God and “evil,” make a distinction between the physical and spiritual realms, and lay out his views on how one can come to know and love God the truest sense possible; how one returns to him.
St. Augustine is a man with a rational mind. As a philosopher, scholar, and teacher of rhetoric, he is trained in and practices the art of logical thought and coherent reasoning. The pursuits of his life guide him to seek concrete answers to specific questions. Religion, the practice of which relies primarily on faith—occasionally blind faith—presents itself as unable to be penetrated by any sort of scientific study or inquiry. Yet, like a true scientist and philosopher, one of the first questions St. Augustine poses in his Confessions is: “What, then, is the God I worship” (23)? For a long time, Augustine searches for knowledge about God as a physical body, a particular entity—almost as if the Lord were merely a human being, given the divine right to become the active figurehead of the Christian religion.
7-12- Again Augustines thoughts on God reflect that of the religious teachings of his day, namely those of the Neoplatonists. For example he refuses to speculate on how the soul joins the body to become an infant and even follows Plato when he suggests that this life could possibly be some kind of “living death”. He then goes into an examination of his infancy, which he depicts as a quite pitiful state. He described himself as a sinful and thoughtless creature who made demands on everyone, wept unceasingly, and gave everyone a hard time that took care of him. Though very brutal in his self examination, he later states that he does not hold himself accountable for any of these sinful acts because he simply can’t remember them.
W. Andrew Hoffecker. Building a Christian World View, vol. 1: God, man, and Knowledge. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., Phillipsburg, New Jersey : 1986. William S. Babcock. The Ethics of St. Augustine: JRE Studies in Religion, no. 3.
The second circle of hell, a realm for those who fell victim of their carnal desires, is another level at which to place Augustine’s soul for he was consumed by lust in his pre-conversion days. He was encouraged by his family to learn the art of persuasion and making of fine speech when he was only sixteen. He used these skills, which he developed very well, along with his good looks to seduce as many women as possible. It was “in that sixteenth year of my life in this world, when the madness of lust. . . took complete control of me, and I surrendered to it” (Confessions, 987). He was in love with being in love. Yet, he was unable to discern between love and lust.
It therefore appears evident that God must be the root of all evil, as He created all things. However, Augustine delves deeper in search for a true answer. This paper will follow ...
...unconditional love for God. Once Augustine converts, he attains the purest form of love and it is solely reserved for God.
In conclusion, Saint Augustine’s life is a good example of the concept of reading, conversion and memory, which we can use as a guideline for the quest in finding God. As we saw through out the book, Saint Augustine went through many processes of reading, conversion and memory. He not only went through these conversions in an academic way, but also in a religious way. He went from not believing in God to reading the Bible, reading Platonian books and Cicero’s Hortensius. It was after reading these literatures that he began to believe in God and went through a religious journey to understand God and Jesus Christ. It was during this journey to understand God and Jesus Christ that he used his memory to remember things he read and how they relate to what he was trying to figure out at the time.
A common thread of faith and reason runs through the two different theological visions of St. Augustine in his Confessions. This can be seen by comparing the ascent, the vision, the descent, and language in the two visions. Although other parts of the text will be referred to, the central part of these visions are as follows:Vision 1: "...
Augustine then heard a child say “Take it and read, take it and read,” and he interpreted that as a divine command to pick up the Bible. He read the first section he opened to, Paul, and made the decision to become a celibate and devoted servant of God. Augustine was a rationalist man throughout the work, and yet his most defining moment is one of pure faith.
..., the closer he was really moving toward God. He began to realize that God is all good, so nothing he creates will be of evil. “God does not create evil but it is of the world” (Augustine 230-31). Once he took responsibility for his personal life and spiritual walk, Augustine began to uncover the truths to his life. He reveals one must take responsibility for their actions and confess to develop a stronger connection with God. He then comprehends; God allows bad things to happen in your life to show you that you need him. Evil is not a lesser good, but it is a reflection of ones moral well-being. In order for one’s well being to be saved one must confess their sins to Christ.
“Accordingly, two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord.” (14.28) Love, in a present-day definition is normally a good thing. According to the brilliant St. Augustine, that would depend on the nature of the love in understanding. In his book, The City of God, Augustine skillfully drew upon two loves: on one hand, a love which is holy: agape, unselfish love, and on the other hand a love which is unholy: distorted love of self; selfishness. Augustine identifies with unselfish love, which is holy love, the love of God, and following God’s rules according to the bible. As contrasted to its opposite, love of self is to the point of contempt of God and neighbor in which these two loves conflict. In this essay, I will give a brief background of the author; I will be discussing the topic of love in The City of God, but more specifically, Augustine’s perception of self-love.