The Confessions of St. Augustine (Signet Classics) [Paperback]

Augustine of Hippo (Author), Rex Warner (Translator), Martin E. Marty (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0451527801 | ISBN-13: 978-0451527806

Harvard Classics, Vol. 7, Part 1  

The origin of the autobiographical tradition, the Confessions of one of the great Fathers of the Church traces a dialogue with his God and a journey toward rising above one's self.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Your Way to God

Because The Confessions of St. Augustine has a special place among the world's greatest books, hundreds of editions have been published in dozens of languages. As Augustine tells his life story, he reveals how you, too, can find the way to:

* Rest securely in Jesus
* Discern good from evil
* Obtain answers to prayer
* Have eternal life
* Avoid false spiritual pursuits
* Know the will of God
* Experience the power of the Holy Spirit

Here is the timeless conflict between good and evil, portrayed through the life of one man who found spiritual growth and unshakable faith. Just as Augustine did, you can experience the unspeakable joy of being pure and righteous before God, regardless of your past.

"And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full." –– 1 John 1:4 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Aurelius Augustinus (354–430), better known as Saint Augustine, was born to poor parents, Patricius and Monnica, in the small town of Tagaste in Numidia, North Africa. Despite his mother's pious influence, Augustine embarked on several years of wild living when he began his education at the University of Carthage. During this time he fathered a child and adopted the Manichean faith, a sect whose followers professed to have received from their founder a higher truth than from Christ. After years of seeking and eventual disillusionment with the Manichean ways, Augustine acknowledged Jesus as Lord during a dramatic garden conversion. He was baptized the following year and became an ascetic––studying the foundations of faith, writing (chiefly against his former sect), and conversing with a group of disciples, first at Rome and then in his native town. During a visit to Hippo near his hometown he entered the priesthood and in 395 he became Bishop of Hippo, an office he held until his death. He is known for his literary accomplishments, chiefly The City of God and The Confessions, as well as his patient pastoral leadership in the Catholic Church. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Signet Classics (February 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451527801
• ISBN-13: 978-0451527806
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( A ) > Augustine, Saint

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tolle Lege!, May 27, 2002

By 

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Confessions of St. Augustine (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

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!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spiritual Journey, January 29, 2002

By 

JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Confessions of St. Augustine (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

I bought this book over a year ago and I was not quite sure why I bought it. About a month ago, I began going through a troubled period in my life. The writings of St. Augustine helped me live through this period.

While the book is most known for its philisophical proof of the existance of God, the book's value runs even greater. Augustine also discusses the meaning of our own existance. Each of us is molded by the opportunity to grow by each experience of our life. Ultimately, we must see the error of our ways to find true happiness in life through God. In this way, God molds us into better people. While the existance of God is not something we can easily explain, Augustine offers insite into this dilema. God created us in his own image, but this does not mean he looks like a human being. He created us as loving creatures like himself. In addition, Augustine address many other issues relating to God in his biography.

This book may be difficult reading to the casual reader. I would suggest potential readers only read this book if he/she plans to study it with the dedication it deserves.

24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, May 13, 2000

By 

D. Roberts "Hadrian12" (Battle Creek, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Mentor) (Paperback)

In reading the few reviews of people who did not like this book, it seems that it is the genre more than the book itself which they don't care for. Is this book redundant, as one reviewer accused it of being? Most assuredly so, but that should hardly be a surprise in a text such as this which explores the inklings of a powerful intellect that is attempting to grapple with the "big" questions.

Augustine writes with a brutal honesty about himself & his weaknesses of which most of us, I would wager, would be incapable of duplicating. The book is filled with theological speculations and a sense of deep-seated guilt that Augustine feels because of his sins. Some of the passages regarding faith might seem a bit ad-hoc to the modern reader, but I suppose there is no way around that.

This is a good book, but it is not a book for everyone. I would recommend it if you have an interest in philosophy, religion, or the philosophy of religion. I would admonish those who do not have an enthusiasm for these three areas not to read this book.