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CONFESSIONS OF AUGUSTINE
Introduction
Augustine’s Confession is a varied combination of the biography, beliefs, divinity, and critical analysis of the Christian Bible. The collection of several records. The first nine books comprise of the effort and trace of the historical background of Augustine since his birth up to the events that transpired after his transformation to a catholic. In his confessions, Augustine assumes his biography as a great opportunity to recount his life events that are all related to religion and philosophy.
Confessions of Augustine
Augustine was born and brought up in Thagaste in the Eastern part of Algeria. In his confessions, Augustine says that his birth brought him into a common domain that he assumes as evil to the extent of regretting why he was born. In grade schools, students are taught on uncertain hobbies with mistaken aims. Young youths like him are skilled in dedicating themselves fully to momentary and material aspects of the world rather than seek God, who is the maker of all things on earth. While in college, Augustine gets exposed to sensual exploits and deceitful philosophes, specifically Manicheism. He considers this stage of his life as a great lesson in how the involvement in the substantial aspects of the physical and immortal creation is its chastisement of disorder, misunderstandings, and misery.
Due to all these happenings, Augustine still possesses a great passion for pursuing the Logical fact and acquiring the canons of Manicheism, skepticism, and Neoplatonism. However, his latter beliefs will have an intense impact on him. Going back to his birthplace, then back to Carthage and Rome and Milan again, Augustine keeps on to battle with his uncertainties about what he has learned and his great concern to convert into a catholic, which was the religion of his mother, Monica. Despite all this, Augustine continues with his studies to become a teacher, a profession that he later abandons. While in Milan, things start changing for Augustine. He finally decides to quit the worldly pleasures and concentrate on his faith as a catholic. In the last four books, Augustine moves off from his autobiography and concentrates more on the religious and philosophical issues that transpired after his conversion. However, this does not change his content. He tries to make his autobiography as an inspiring and reflective one for his readers.
In this assignment, I will focus on book 8 of the confessions of Augustine. The book mainly tells us about the struggles Augustine underwent before concluding to convert and completely dedicate his life to God. At the beginning of the book, Augustine confesses that he is very attracted and willing to serve God. However, his mind and soul are not yet in consent to his desire. Besides, he still struggles to keep away from the earthly pleasures he had already been exposed to while in college. This made him doubt his decision in a very great way. Despite all this, Augustine does not give up. He broadly talks about his progress in the pursuit of God. He tells his friends that he is trying to deal with the inner thoughts that keep on hindering him from acknowledging that God is a divine being who lacks spatial allowance. He transcribes that his great desire in life is not only to be certain about God but also to more stable in His deeds.
Augustine tells us the story narrated to him by his Christian friend Victorinus. Victorinus was a very valued orator and interpreter of the Neoplatonic versions that Augustine constantly read while in college. He was one of those people who converted to Christianity in the last years of their lives. In his texts, Victorinus explained the many struggles he underwent before deciding to devote himself to the Christian faithfully. He lived a greater part of his life, pleasing people, which made it even harder to decide and follow the will of God. Augustine was so impressed by this story. It was almost to his and reflected on all his struggles towards conversion. This gave him hope that one day he would also convert to a Christian despite all the worldly pleasures that kept pushing him away from God.
Despite all this inspiration, Augustine did not still convert. At this point, he felt no other further obstacles were hindering him from converting. However, he was still struggling with his wills against himself. Augustine had two wills; one was carnal, and the other was spiritual. These two conflicted with each other. For this reason, Augustine remained committed by practice to the magnificence of material possessions and all desires of the world. He compared his condition to that of a drowsy sleeper who struggles so hard to get up but finally gets up. This made him to continuously encourage himself that he would also fulfill his desire one day. His friends were of great help to him during this time. Nebridius turned down his work at the law courts to concentrate on spiritual pursuits for himself and others as well. Alypius would constantly visit Augustine to encourage him on the spiritual journey.
This made Augustine hopeful and motivated to keep moving on. With a better agreement and increased inspiration at present in the air, Ponticianus, a great friend, tells Augustine of a story of monasteries in the exterior city of two men who had quit their occupations to serve God as monks. Augustine assumes this particular instance as an accusation where he is propelled before his eyes. According to him, the day had now come when he stood stripped by himself.
Augustine’s fight with his wills finally comes to a head when he gets into another conversation with Alypius. At this time, he becomes very angry with himself and completely troubled not only in mind but in appearance as well. He walked out into a garden to try to calm down, but instead, Augustine starts beating himself to the extent of even tearing his hair and clothes. He blames and calls himself a failure of his will. Though terrified and shocked,
Alypius saw this discussion as the final turning point for Augustine. At this point, Augustine did not require the will to do something so much as the will to will something. By whipping himself, Augustine concludes that his extremities finally complied with the will of his cognizance even though the mind could not conform to itself. At this time, the answer he suggests to his friend is that he had two wills and that what was pushing him behind. However, this idea is quickly terminated. Augustine blames himself on the existence of his two wills. He admits that this has had a great impact on him in the sense that he was completely dissociated from himself and God’s will for his life. Besides, his soul has been torn apart.
Whenever he tried to convince his mind and souls that it was the right time to convert, his old behaviors kept on distressing and whispering to him to reconsider his decision. Alypius does not give up on encouraging his friend. He stood by him all this time, trying to comfort him and even preaching to him the word of God and praying together. Eventually, the voices that kept on telling Augustine to go back to the worldly pleasures began to weaken. After some time, Augustine says that a ‘Lady Continence’ appeared on the scene and moved close to hold him. He describes this as a metaphor rather than a vision, although the entire scene of a garden blurs the lines amongst pomposity and precise account. After all these happenings,
Augustine wept for the bad habits he had done throughout his life. Alypius came to comfort him, knowing that God’s mission was almost being accomplished. He helped Augustine move to a bench where he wept as he memorialized on his life. As he sat there, a teen’s voice whispered into his ears, saying ‘pick it up and read.’ he considered this as a divine command from God. He obeyed the command, picked up the Bible, and reads a verse that said, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh or fulfillment of your heart desires.’ This verse was a reason for Augustine to put aside everything and convert it immediately. He tells Alypius the good news who applauds him for his decision and promises to support him in his Christianity journey. They then pray together and later rush to tell Monica the good news of her son’s conversion. Augustine has finally achieved his greatest goal in life.
Conclusion
The journey to conversion was not easy for Augustine. He needed friends who stood by him and constantly encouraged him to achieve his goal. This applies to everyone in the current world. We have big dreams and goals in life. To achieve such goals, we need mentors who will encourage and stand by us until we achieve these goals.
Works cited
Augustine, the Confessions, Maria Boulding’s trans. Vintage, (1997).