The Confessions of St Augustine: An Autobiographical Work Including 13 Books by Saint Augustine of Hippo

Front Cover
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, Jul 16, 2018 - Religion - 166 pages
Written between 397 and 400 A.D., "The Confessions of Saint Augustine" is thought to be the first autobiography in Western civilization and is considered by many to be one of the most important religious works of all time. While not a complete account of Augustine's life, for Augustine wrote "Confessions" in his early forties and would live well into his seventies, it is one of the most complete first-hand accounts of anyone's life from the fourth or fifth century, in which the author outlines the sins of his youth and conversion to Christianity. "The Confessions" tells of its author's upbringing in Algeria, his place at the Imperial court of Milan, his struggle to overcome his sexual desires, and the ultimate dedication of his life to Christ and Christian ways. "The Confessions" are not simply a recount of the author's life but a true exploration of what it is to be Christian and the struggles that one must overcome in order to find Christ and live a more pious life. A pioneering work of autobiography, "The Confessions" remains one of the most important works of spiritual devotion ever written. The Confessions of Saint Augustine is considered the all time number one Christian classic. It is an extended poetic, passionate, intimate prayer. Augustine was probably forty-three when he began this endeavor. He had been a baptized Catholic for ten years, a priest for six, and a bishop for only two. His pre-baptismal life raised questions in the community. Was his conversion genuine? The first hearers were captivated, as many millions have been over the following sixteen centuries. His experience of God speaks to us across time with little need of transpositions. This new translation by Edward Bouverie Pusey masterfully captures his experience.

About the author (2018)

Saint Augustine was born to a Catholic mother and a pagan father on November 13, 354, at Thagaste, near Algiers. He studied Latin literature and later taught rhetoric in Rome and Milan. He originally joined the Manicheans, a religious sect, but grew unhappy with some of their philosophies. After his conversion to Christianity and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, and he framed the concepts of original sin and just war. His thoughts greatly influenced the medieval worldview. One of Augustine's major goals was a single, unified church. He was ordained a priest in 391 and appointed Bishop of Hippo, in Roman Africa, in 396. Augustine was one of the most prolific Latin authors in terms of surviving works, and the list of his works consists of more than one hundred separate titles. His writings and arguments with other sects include the Donatists and the Pelagians. On the Trinity, The City of God, and On Nature and Grace are some of his important writings. Confessions, which is considered his masterpiece, is an autobiographical work that recounts his restless youth and details the spiritual experiences that led him to Christianity. Many of Augustine's ideas, such as those concerning sin and predestination, became integral to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. In the Catholic Church he is a saint and pre-eminent Doctor of the Church, and the patron of the Augustinians. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians. Augustine died on August 28, 430.

Bibliographic information

TitleThe Confessions of St Augustine: An Autobiographical Work Including 13 Books by Saint Augustine of Hippo
AuthorSaint Augustine
PublisherCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018
ISBN1723200905, 9781723200908
Length166 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Religion / Christianity / Saints & Sainthood
  
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