108 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Only an abridgement, August 21, 2005
Like the Carolinne White translation of the "Confessions," also carried by Amazon, this paperback does not have the complete original text. Rather, some of the ideas have been selected out by someone and are here rephrased into more contemporary language. That's OK, but anyone buying this book ought to know that this version is an abridgement and not the full text of the "Confessions" that they're buying.
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41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take and read!, July 12, 2005
Augustine's 'Confessions' is among the most important books ever written. One of the first autobiographical works in the modern sense, it also represents the first time a psychological and theological enterprise were combined. It also helps to bridge the gap between the Classical world and the Medieval world, exhibiting strong elements identifying with each of those major historical periods.
Most undergraduates in the liberal arts encounter the book at some point; all seminarians do (or should!). Many adults find (or rediscover) the book later, after school. For many in these categories, there are concepts, narrative strands and historical data new and unusual for them. However, Augustine's 'Confessions' is still generally more accessible in many ways that truly classical pieces; it has interior description as well as external reporting that we are familiar with in modern writing.
The 'Confessions' shows Augustine's personality well - he was a passionate person, but his focus wavered for much of his life until finally settling upon Christianity and the Neoplatonic synthesis with this faith. Even while remaining a passionate Christian and rejecting the sort of dualism present in the Manichee teachings, he varied between various positions within these systems. Augustine's varied thought reaches through many denominational and scholarly paradigms.
The 'Confessions' are divided into thirteen chapters, termed 'Books' - the first ten of the books are autobiographical, with Augustine describing both events in his life as well as his philosophical and religious wanderings during the course of his life. The text is somewhat difficult to take at times, as this is writing with a purpose, as indeed most autobiographies are. The purpose here at times seems to be to paint Augustine in the worst possible light (the worse his condition, the better his conversion/salvation ends up being); at other times, one gets a sense (as one might get when reading the Pauline epistles) that there is some significant degree of ego at work here (Paul boasts of being among the better students, and so does Augustine, etc.).
Augustine also uses his Confessions as a tract against the Manichean system - once a faithful adherent, Augustine later rejects the Manichean beliefs as heretical; however, one cannot get past the idea that Augustine retained certain of their intellectual aspects in his own constructions even while denouncing them in his official life story.
The whole of the conversion turns on two primary books - Book Seven, his conversion to the Neoplatonic view of the world, including the metaphysics and the ethics that come along with this system; and Book 8, which describes his conversion to Christianity proper. This is where perhaps the most famous directive, 'Tolle! Lege!' ('Take and read!') comes from - Augustine heard a voice, and he picked up the nearest book, which happened to be a portion of the Pauline epistles, arguing against the undisciplined lifestyle Augustine lived. Scholars continue to debate whether Augustine's conversion to Christianity was more profound or more important than his conversion to Neoplatonism; in any event, Christianity interpreted through a Platonic framework became the norm for centuries, and remains a strong current within the Christian world view; Protestant reformers as they went back to the 'original bible' in distinction from the Catholic interpretations of the day also went back to the 'original Augustine' for much of their theology.
The final three books are Augustine's dealing with the creation of the world via narrative stories in Genesis 1 exegetically and hermeneutically. This is very different from what is done in modern biblical scholarship, but is significant in many respects, not the least of which as it gives a model of the way Augustine dealt with biblical texts; given Augustine's towering presence over the development of Western Christianity in both Catholic and Protestant strands, understanding his methods and interpretative framework can lead to significant insights into the ideas of medieval and later church figures.
This is a book that will be of interest to novice readers of Augustine as well as scholars, to students, clergy and laypersons, and anyone else who might have an historical, literary, philosophical, theological or other interest in Augustine - something for everyone, perhaps?
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Niche Version of Primarily Devotional Interest, March 6, 2006
I, with other reviewers, was deeply disappointed to find that this book (purchased elsewhere) was an undisclosed abridged version of Augustine's work and had to re-acquire it. There is no excuse for omitting this fact everywhere but a brief mention in the forward. (Note: this is the reason for 4 *'s as I'd never be so presuptuous to give Augustine less than 5) The text is of little value for historical interest. There is no mention of his concubine and even the famous pear trauma of his youth is omitted. It is worth noting, however, what is included. In a very readable "translation," is much of his devotional prose and repeated prayers of exaltation, self evaluation and gratitude. So, despite my disappointment, I have actually started recommending this text for those who do not have a philosophical, theological or historical interest in the great church father but would be interested in exploring his writings devotionally. It serves a significant purpose as an accessible window to Augustine's spiritual life and will serve particular readers quite well.
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