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Title: The Confessions of Saint Augustine by Augustine, Rex Warner, Martin E. Marty, St Augustine ISBN: 0-451-52780-1 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: 06 February, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.4 (78 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Tolle Lege!
Comment: I recently reread "The Confessions of St. Augustine" after many years and am glad that I did. This book, which is often called the first autobiography, is really not an autobiography in the sense that we use the term. It is Augustine's Confession to God, from which we glean many details about Augustine's life.
In this we learn of Augustine's family, his early life, his search for truth and, throughout the book, his teachings on theology. Here we see him move to the gradually larger world, from Tagaste, to Carthage, to Rome, to Milan, where he finally finds Truth. He is then ready to return to his native Africa, his preparation completed for the work which would make him one of the greatest, Christian theologians of all time.
In much of the early book, Augustine tells us of his rejections of God's call. Seeking truth and honors, he searched through many sources and sought out many teachers. He sought wisdom from pagan and Manichean philosophers. His disappointment with the highly touted Manichean bishop, Faustus, whose speech was pleasing but whose answers failed to soothe Augustine's soul, caused him to turn to Catholicism.
Learning from the respected bishop, Ambrose, Augustine came to recognize the truth of Christianity, but his slavery to a non-Christian life style long prevented him from following the call of God. This persisted until one day he heard the child's song "Tolle Lege, Tolle, Lege" (the title of my high school newspaper), "Take it and read." Taking this as a divine command to read the first passage of scripture to meet his eyes, he opened the book to the passage, "Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in concupiscence." Needing to read no further, his conversion occurred and he was ready for the great work which lay before him.
Throughout much of the book, we are treated to Augustine's teachings on a variety of religious topics. We obtain his guidance on the nature of God, God's relationship with and expectations of man, as well as norms for the interpretation of scripture. This is the book for anyone with an interest in Christian theology or St. Augustine personally. Tolle Lege!
Rating: 4
Summary: Thoughtful and Powerful
Comment: This book is much much more than just an autobiography of Augustine and his road to the Christian faith. It is filled with exhortations and insight about the character of God and the nature of people. It is a book about struggling with sin and with realizing that God deserves to be Lord of every aspect of your life--and trying to live that out. It's also a story of the power of prayer, and an encouragement (through his comments about his mother) to persevere in prayer and supplication. Plus, it's just a reminder of the many wonderful aspects of who God is--because every time Augustine says something about God, he affirms something about His character. He will say something like, "God, in whom there is no darkness, has illuminated the eyes of my heart." It is both a telling of Augustine's own story, and also a story of God. This book is very dense, and packed with thoughts and ideas that must be slowly digested to really take root in our own minds. It's not a book that can or should be read quickly, it should be savored and pondered and given time for much reflection and evaluation. It's a tough book, but I do not think that you need a commentary to fully appreciate it (though an understanding of the time it was written sure wouldn't hurt). Get ready to be exhorted.
Rating: 3
Summary: Mixed Feelings
Comment: Overall I would say it is a good read. I think I learned a lot and I don't regret reading it--it is a classic.
I found Augustine's account of his childhood, his exposure to the Manichees, and his search for truth to be really interesting.
However, toward the end of my reading I found things to get a bit tedious. I found his discussions on the human memory and his overwhelmingly long discourse on Genesis 1:1 to be tedious and somewhat awkward. I also find his allegorical interpretation of the creation to be somewhat far fetched.
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Title: City of God (Penguin Classics) by St. Augustine, David Knowles, Henry Bettenson ISBN: 0140444262 Publisher: Penguin USA Pub. Date: June, 1984 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Augustine of Hippo: A Biography, Revised Edition with a New Epilogue by Peter Robert Lamont Brown ISBN: 0520227573 Publisher: University of California Press Pub. Date: 07 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis ISBN: 0375700188 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 24 March, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Aquinas's Shorter Summa: Saint Thomas's Own Concise Version of His Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Aquinas, St. Thomas Aquinas ISBN: 1928832431 Publisher: Sophia Inst Pr Pub. Date: 01 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: The Republic by Plato ISBN: 0486411214 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 18 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $2.50 |
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