Changes

Augustine was born in 354 AD at Tagaste in [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[North Africa]] to a [[pagan]] father and a Christian mother. His early adult life, which is described in his autobiographical book ''[[Confessions]]'', was characterized by [[Religion|religious]] confusion and searching. Although raised as a [[Christian]] by his mother, he converted to [[Manichaeanism]] soon after leaving home to study at an academy in the city of [[Carthage]]. During this period, he investigated [[astrology]] and cohabitated with a woman who bore him children. He eventually grew discontent with the Manichaeans, however, not least due to the influence of his mother and of [[Saint Ambrose]], the bishop of [[Milan]]. His break with Manichaeanism did not mean an immediate return to the Catholic faith. Instead, he turned at first to the study of [[Neoplatonism|Neoplatonic]] philosophy.  

Augustine was born in 354 AD at Tagaste in [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[North Africa]] to a [[pagan]] father and a Christian mother. His early adult life, which is described in his autobiographical book ''[[Confessions]]'', was characterized by [[Religion|religious]] confusion and searching. Although raised as a [[Christian]] by his mother, he converted to [[Manichaeanism]] soon after leaving home to study at an academy in the city of [[Carthage]]. During this period, he investigated [[astrology]] and cohabitated with a woman who bore him children. He eventually grew discontent with the Manichaeans, however, not least due to the influence of his mother and of [[Saint Ambrose]], the bishop of [[Milan]]. His break with Manichaeanism did not mean an immediate return to the Catholic faith. Instead, he turned at first to the study of [[Neoplatonism|Neoplatonic]] philosophy.  

Augustine's ultimate return to [[Catholicism]] took place in 386. In the ''[[Confessions]]'', Augustine describes it as a miraculous conversion following a long period of personal crisis and soul-searching. He relates how, while sitting in his mother's garden in [[Milan]], he heard a voice commanding him to take up a nearby [[Bible]] and read. At random, he read [[Letter to the Romans|Romans]] 13:13 ("Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying")

Augustine's ultimate return to [[Catholicism]] took place in 386. In the ''[[Confessions]]'', Augustine describes it as a miraculous conversion following a long period of personal crisis and soul-searching. He relates how, while sitting in his mother's garden in [[Milan]], he heard a voice commanding him to take up a nearby [[Bible]] and read. At random, he read [[Letter to the Romans|Romans]] 13:13 ("Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying").

Following his conversion, Augustine was consecrated as a priest and returned to Thagaste. In 396, he was elected bishop of the regional capital Hippo Regius. He died in 430 during the [[Vandal]] siege of Hippo.

Following his conversion, Augustine was consecrated as a priest and returned to Thagaste. In 396, he was elected bishop of the regional capital Hippo Regius. He died in 430 during the [[Vandal]] siege of Hippo.

''See also:'' [[Confessions]]

''See also:'' [[Confessions]]

''[[Confessions]]'' is the autobiography of Saint Augustine. ''Confessions'' was written in [[Latin]] shortly between 397 and 398 AD, while he was in his forties, and is a remarkable piece of [[Christianity|Christian]] [[literature]].

''[[Confessions]]'' is the autobiography of Saint Augustine. ''Confessions'' was written in [[Latin]] between 397 and 398 AD, while he was in his forties, and is a remarkable piece of [[Christianity|Christian]] [[literature]].

== Legacy ==

== Legacy ==

But Augustine did more than write against slavery.  He used his position in the church to lead many clergy under his authority at Hippo to free their slaves "as an act of [[piety]]."<ref>Augustine,''Of the Work of Monks'', p. 25, Vol III Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers,  Wm. Eerdman's, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1986</ref>

But Augustine did more than write against slavery.  He used his position in the church to lead many clergy under his authority at Hippo to free their slaves "as an act of [[piety]]."<ref>Augustine,''Of the Work of Monks'', p. 25, Vol III Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers,  Wm. Eerdman's, Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 1986</ref>

[[Just War Theory]] is a Christian theory of [[Morality|moral]] [[ethics]] that goes back to Saint Augustine and St. [[Thomas Aquinas]]. Under Just War Theory only legitimate authorities can wage war for the right reasons (usually this means a defensive war, or a war of defending the weak against a violent oppressor <ref>[http://biblehub.com/proverbs/24-11.htm Proverbs 24:11] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/24-11.htm commentaries]; see also [http://biblehub.com/psalms/82-4.htm Psalm 82:4] and [http://biblehub.com/job/29-17.htm Job 29:17].</ref>) and only as a last resort if every other peaceful means to avert war have been used to no avail.  A just war can only be waged if there is a serious evil that needs to be stopped.  Further, there must be a realistic chance that the evil can be stopped without starting a greater evil.  If this happens the war reaches a just conclusion. A war started for just reasons and justly waged may still reach an unjust conclusion.

[[Just War Theory]] is a Christian theory of [[Morality|moral]] [[ethics]] that goes back to Saint Augustine and St. [[Thomas Aquinas]]. Under Just War Theory only legitimate authorities can wage war for the right reasons (usually this means a defensive war, or a war of defending the weak against a violent oppressor <ref>[http://biblehub.com/proverbs/24-11.htm Proverbs 24:11] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/24-11.htm commentaries]; see also [http://biblehub.com/psalms/82-4.htm Psalm 82:4] and [http://biblehub.com/job/29-17.htm Job 29:17].</ref>) and only as a last resort if every other peaceful means to avert war have been used to no avail.  A just war can only be waged if there is a serious evil that needs to be stopped.  Further, there must be a realistic chance that the evil can be stopped without starting a greater evil.  If this happens, the war reaches a just conclusion. A war started for just reasons and justly waged may still reach an unjust conclusion.

== Books ==

== Books ==

Augustine's writing is hailed as marking the beginning of the modern literary tradition, with its self-critical and deeply analytical subjects.  He wrote 252 books and several of his most noteworthy are as follows:

Augustine's writing is hailed as marking the beginning of the modern literary tradition, with its self-critical and deeply analytical subjects.  He wrote 252 books and several of his most noteworthy are as follows:

# '''''[[Confessions]]''''', describing Augustine's travels from a member of the [[polytheistic]] Roman intelligentsia to a devoted Christian.  Augustine examines his own personal failings in life, from his love life to his own moral shortcomings, before rejoicing in his [[salvation]] through Christ, which he struggled to attain, leading to a climactic [[epiphany]] resulting in his conversion.  It is the first book to deeply consider the inner workings of the author's mind. ''Confessions''' 13 volumes total about 115,000 words, or about 7 3/4 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

# '''''[[Confessions]]''''', describing Augustine's travels from a member of the [[polytheistic]] Roman intelligentsia to a devoted Christian.  Augustine examines his own personal failings in life, from his love life to his own moral shortcomings, before rejoicing in his [[salvation]] through Christ, which he struggled to attain, leading to a climactic [[epiphany]] resulting in his conversion.  It is the first book to deeply consider the inner workings of the author's mind. ''Confessions''', 13 volumes total, about 115,000 words, or about 7 3/4 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

#'''''[[City of God]]''''' (''De Civitate Dei''), written in the aftermath of the sack of [[Rome]] by [[Alaric the Visigoth]], Augustine wrote ''City of God'' to answer the question of the day - if Rome had been the City of God, and now it had fallen, what's to become of [[Christianity]]?  So central was the safety of Rome to all philosophies, that which was a concern at the time.  Augustine dispels the fears of Christians in this work by reminding them that the true City of God (in the minds of the faithful) is ever-present, and can never be destroyed.

#'''''[[City of God]]''''' (''De Civitate Dei''), written in the aftermath of the sack of [[Rome]] by [[Alaric the Visigoth]], Augustine wrote ''City of God'' to answer the question of the day - if Rome had been the City of God, and now it had fallen, what's to become of [[Christianity]]?  So central was the safety of Rome to all philosophies, that which was a concern at the time.  Augustine dispels the fears of Christians in this work by reminding them that the true City of God (in the minds of the faithful) is ever-present, and can never be destroyed.

#'''''On Christian Doctrine''''' (''De Doctrina Christiana''), written in the twilight of Augustine's life, in which Augustine explains how he has approached the [[Bible]] as the word of God.  Augustine somberly reflects that his mind - or indeed, the mind of any mortal man - can never fully understand God's word, since it is too beautiful, complex, and rich to be completely understood by a feeble human mind.  In this sense, Augustine carries some trace of [[Plato]] into [[Christianity]].  Augustine describes 7 levels of Biblical [[exegesis]], the last being almost unattainable, and self-critically remarks that even in a life of study he has barely reached the 5th.  To Augustine, literalism was the 1st level of exegesis - shallow and researching.

#'''''On Christian Doctrine''''' (''De Doctrina Christiana''), written in the twilight of Augustine's life, in which Augustine explains how he has approached the [[Bible]] as the word of God.  Augustine somberly reflects that his mind - or indeed, the mind of any mortal man - can never fully understand God's word, since it is too beautiful, complex, and rich to be completely understood by a feeble human mind.  In this sense, Augustine carries some trace of [[Plato]] into [[Christianity]].  Augustine describes 7 levels of Biblical [[exegesis]], the last being almost unattainable, and self-critically remarks that even in a life of study he has barely reached the 5th.  To Augustine, literalism was the 1st level of exegesis - shallow and researching.

#'''''Retractions''''', written at the old age of 72, by which Augustine carefully reexamined his prior works and made revisions as he felt appropriate.

#'''''Retractions''''', written at the old age of 72, in which Augustine carefully reexamined his prior works and made revisions as he felt appropriate.

== Biblical sources ==

== Biblical sources ==

== Compared with [[St. Jerome]] ==

== Compared with [[St. Jerome]] ==

A contemporary of [[St. Augustine]] was [[St. Jerome]], but they were quite different.  Augustine was not primarily an interpreter of [[Scripture]] (an "exegete") as Jerome was.  Instead, Augustine was a pastor.   

A contemporary of [[St. Augustine]] was [[St. Jerome]], but they were quite different.  Augustine was not primarily an interpreter of [[Scripture]] (a "exegete") as Jerome was.  Instead, Augustine was a pastor.   

Augustine was more of a legal and political scholar than Jerome, who was more of a linguist. For example, Augustine expounded a coherent view of [[natural law]].  ''See'' [[natural law and Augustine]].

Augustine was more of a legal and political scholar than Jerome, who was more of a linguist. For example, Augustine expounded a coherent view of [[natural law]].  ''See'' [[natural law and Augustine]].

== Criticism of Faustus ==

== Criticism of Faustus ==

[[Image:Augustine of Hippo.jpg|right|thumb|[[St. Augustine]] of Hippo]]

[[Image:Augustine of Hippo.jpg|right|thumb|[[St. Augustine]] of Hippo]]

Although initially mentored by Faustus of Mileve, Augustine became highly critical of Faustus and wrote extensively against him. As explained scholar, Augustine's view was that:

Although initially mentored by Faustus of Mileve, Augustine became highly critical of Faustus and wrote extensively against him. As one scholar explained, Augustine's view was that:

{{cquote|Jesus' Jewishness grounds salvation in actual human history. When Christ humanly fulfilled Scripture's cornerstone commands to love God and neighbor, he “made the Law grace and truth.” That revealed the contours of continuity-within-change between the Testaments wherein the New lay in the Old “like fruit in the root.” Now a distinctive Christian mode of reading receives grace from the Law and truth from the Prophets, while it also discerns the dynamics of Christ's love and justice in the narratives about Israel's ancient saints.<ref>https://academic.oup.com/book/27441/chapter-abstract/197315953?redirectedFrom=fulltext</ref>}}

{{cquote|Jesus' Jewishness grounds salvation in actual human history. When Christ humanly fulfilled Scripture's cornerstone commands to love God and neighbor, he “made the Law grace and truth.” That revealed the contours of continuity-within-change between the Testaments wherein the New lay in the Old “like fruit in the root.” Now a distinctive Christian mode of reading receives grace from the Law and truth from the Prophets, while it also discerns the dynamics of Christ's love and justice in the narratives about Israel's ancient saints.<ref>https://academic.oup.com/book/27441/chapter-abstract/197315953?redirectedFrom=fulltext</ref>}}