Confessions of St. Augustine Saint

Confessions of St. Augustine

Saint Augustine's "Confessions"

Saint Augustine's autobiographical manuscript "Confessions" stands as one of the first autobiographies written in the Western world. Furthermore, it is particularly notable because it was also the first document to combine psychological thoughts with theological theories.

The book managed to bring together element from the medieval world and elements from the ancient world, mixing philosophical theories devised by Ancient Greek philosophers with concepts with religious thoughts produced during the first centuries B.C.

The book is accessible to a large public, even if most people are inclined to believe that a normal individual is unable to comprehend the philosophy it puts across. In spite of the fact that particular factors in the book can initially seem intimidating (historical data, perspective in regard to religion, and ideas of the author in general), matters change as the story progresses and the reader discovers that it is easier to comprehend through considering the whole context.

While earlier philosophical texts can pose a challenge for readers that are not well acquainted with the domain, Augustine's work appears to have been adapted in order to fit more modern concepts. Augustine does not only relate to philosophical thinking, as he also provides a thorough description of his writings, obviously being unwilling to confuse readers.

Given that "Confessions" is an autobiographical work, it brings readers into Augustine's world. However, it does not only describe his background, as it also describes his feelings, his thinking, and his standpoint regarding his past. From the very first paragraphs it becomes clear that Augustine was enthusiastic about the things he believed in. He was confused during the first decades of his life, as even though he was willing to go through great efforts to protect his beliefs, he was not certain what exactly his beliefs were.

The influence of Ancient Greek philosophy is observed throughout the book, particularly when considering matters on the topic of morality (Augustine 158). His personality is difficult to describe, given that even consequent to becoming a devoted Christian he encountered troubles in agreeing with earlier Christian conceptions. This mostly happened because he was determined to have morality guide him through life, even in the cases when it went against his teachings.

The book is broken into thirteenth chapters, with each chapter being referred to as a book. The first ten books are mostly autobiographical, as Augustine describes in them episodes from his earlier life, and how his position concerning religion and philosophy had changed throughout his existence.

All across the book, Augustine refrains from portraying himself in a way that would glorify him. Instead, he chooses to present himself as the worst individual possible, emphasizing the sins he committed until eventually being saved by Christianity and Neoplatonistic philosophy.

The fact that Augustine insists on how his entourage was mostly responsible for his immoral behavior strengthens the theory that he tended to overestimate himself through considering that he was much better than anyone he came in contact with. Nonetheless, he admits his faults and does not attempt to claim that he is innocent. One can be inclined to believe that the author was actually determined to highlight his character as a Christian and as an intellectual.

While it might initially seem surprising that Augustine gave up his most praised passion-Manichaeism, it gradually becomes clear that he did not actually appreciated everything related to it and that he actually considered that there were many things immoral about it. When concerning his attachment to Christianity, the author did not necessarily want to follow earlier teachings in order to develop a true understanding of the concept of God, as he went through great efforts to come up with theories that were partly his own work, with the purpose of gaining a complete comprehension of the divine.