Augustine of Hippo, Selected Writings

Saint Augustine (of Hippo) · Saint Augustine (Bishop of Hippo.)

Jan 1984 · Paulist Press

About this ebook

"The very imposing and very welcome Classics of Western Spirituality(TM)series...should be in every theological collection of any depth." Ardin Newsletter In one series, the original writings of the universally acknowledged teachers of the Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Islamic and Native American traditions have been critically selected, translated and introduced by internationally recognized scholars and spiritual leaders. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO-SELECTED WRITINGS translated and introduced by Mary T. Clark preface by Goulven Madec "You have made us to be toward you, and our heart is restless until it rests in you" Augustine of Hippo (354-430) Augustine of Hippo (354-430), bishop, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church whose thought molded the Western theological tradition, is clearly one of the most influential figures in the history of the Church. At the heart of his brilliant philosophical and theological speculation is his spirituality-a spirituality founded on the reality of the soul's experience of the Trinity in the depths of its interiority. This book is a collection of his writings, which in every sense must be considered true classics of spirituality in the West. Included are excerpts from Confessions, On the Trinity, The City of God, and Homilies on the Psalms along with the complete texts of the Rule of St. Augustine, On Seeing God, and On the Presence of God. In speaking of Augustine's relevance for our time, Paul VI said: "If St. Augustine were alive today, he would speak as he spoke a thousand and more years ago. Why? Because he really personifies a humanity that believes, that loves Christ and our beloved God." +

Ratings and reviews

Difficult reading. I had not heard of all the books from which this anthology was drawn, but I had heard of several. As a result, I was glad to be able to read several passages in context. This included the famous conversion passage from Confessions. I found City of God interesting, because I had not realized that Augustine proposed two cities, the other being a city of the devil, much in the manner of the wheat and the tares which grow up together but are finally separated at the Judgment. I also found the Rule of Augustine interesting. In light of the recent Barna poll in which only 5% of evangelicals said they were help accountable by their churches, we would all do well to consider how we might hold one another accountable in Christian community. Finally, while reading this volume I did some pondering on whether the Founding Fathers thought of the Pursuit of Happiness in spiritual terms rather than in secular terms, particularly since they considered this a God-given right. If so, then the pursuit of happiness is not that which contributes most to my personal pleasure today but rather that which will result in eternal bliss with the Savior, Jesus Christ.

About the author

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.