The Confessions of St. Augustine [Hardcover]

St. Augustine (Author), Edward D. Pusey (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

Aurelius Augustinus, aka SAINT AUGUSTINE (354-430) was bishop of Hippo, today called Bona, in Algeria. Before his conversion to Christianity, however, he lead a wild and licentious youth in Carthage and later studied philosophy for years in Milan. His Confessions, in which he begs forgiveness from God for his sins and sets himself entirely to devotion to God, is not only a foundational work of Western theology, it is also one of the earliest autobiographies, offering keen insight into the workings of the medieval mind. ALSO AVAILABLE FROM COSIMO CLASSICS: Saint Augustine's "The City of God" Translator and British clergyman EDWARD BOUVERIE PUSEY (1800-1882) was one of the most influential figures in the Anglican church in the 19th century, formulated theology and doctrine that radically altered the practice of Christianity in England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Cosimo Classics (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160206010X
• ISBN-13: 978-1602060104
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,341,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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3.0 out of 5 stars One Long Prayer Born Out Of Guilt, July 15, 2011

By 

Jeff Marzano (Essex Junction, VT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Confessions of St. Augustine (Hardcover)

This book is one long prayer or conversation between Saint Augustine and God where Augustine does all the talking.

It sounds like Augustine wrote this around the age of 31 or so when he was experiencing a relgious conversion. He had become disillusioned with his involvement with the Manichaen cult and with his former lifestyle in general.

I suspect if he had written this book in his 60s it may have turned out differently. He may have not looked back on his former experiences with so much disdain and guilt. For example maybe it wasn't so bad that he used to enjoy going to the theatre and watching shows with pretty girls. As it is in this book he viewed those activities as extreme forms of corruption for his miserable soul.

Augustine felt that he benefitted from Plato's writings. In fact we can call Augustine the 'Christian Plato' and there are subtle similarities between the writings of Plato and Augustine at a very deep level.

I suspect Augustine's thoughts about things like mythology and astrology changed over the years. In this book he viewed those things as works or the devil.

I haven't read anything else written by Augustine in his later years after his famous conversion. I may do that to see how his extreme joy about finding Christianity held up and perhaps changed into something less extreme and euphoric.

I wouldn't say I exactly enjoyed reading this book. I would put this book under the category of philosophical or historical research as opposed to entertainment. Augustine was filled with guilt and self loathing when he wrote this book.

Jeff Marzano

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