1. Lecture 24: Augustine and Confessions
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
28 November 2017

2. Outline Historical background Brief sketch of his life
Some Key Themes in Augustine
On Christian Doctrine
Confessions

3. Importance of Augustine to Western Theology Cannot Be Overstated
For Western Christianity, he is the most important theologian from this period
Arguably the most important theologian from any period
Every serious Western theologian after Augustine must in some way ‘deal’ with Augustine
Augustine was the standard for doctrinal truth and theological method throughout the Middle Ages
Anselm on Trinity
Aquinas (13th C) runs into trouble because
He seems to abandon Augustine’s theological method (Neoplatonism) for Aristotle
Open any page of ST and see number of references to Augustine
Renaissance begins when Petrarch reads Confessions
Luther and Calvin claim Augustine for themselves in opposition to Scholasticism
Augustine is patron saint of Jansenists, Augustinus
Enlightenment rejection of Christianity is specifically a rejection of Augustine
But some of his philosophical efforts still command the attention of contemporary philosophers: Wittgenstein (language), Heidegger (memory), Derrida (structuralism/deconstruction), Camus and Hick (evil), Hawking (time) and many others
Recent new translations of and ‘popular’ interest in Augustine: New City Press; J.J. O’Donnell, Garry Wills
Pope Benedict XVI has defined himself, and is often referred to as, an Augustinian theologian; Five General Audience Talks on Augustine

4. Critical and Defining Issues for Augustine
Happiness
Theodicy
Relation between human nature and God’s grace
Trinity
Epistemology
Theories of Language
Primacy of love;
Man as a social being who should be completely motivated by properly ordered loves
“Love and do whatever you will”
Importance of friendship
Heresies that Augustine argued against
Arianism
Donatism
Manichaeism
Pelagianism

5. Brief Biographical Sketch
Born near Carthage in 354 to a devoutly Catholic mother and worldly father
In youth leads a life of pleasure searching for happiness
Investigates and is attracted to Manichaeism
Becomes enamored with Platonism (Plotinus)
Conversion to Catholic Christianity
Ordained priest 391, bishop of Hippo 395
Died on 28 August 430
Peter Brown’s book Augustine of Hippo remains the most important biography of Augustine in English
Be sure to get the New Edition with Epilogue
Discusses discovery of 12 previously unstudied letters and sermons of Augustine ( )

6. Augustine’s Works
Augustine’s friend and biographer, Possidius, catalogued Augustine's works after his death and observed that no one would be able to read them all
Among the vitally important works which every Catholic theologian should read
On Free Will
Confessions
On the Trinity
City of God
On Christian Teaching
Retractions concerning On Free Will
Nearly innumerable letters, treatises, homilies, commentaries
Retractions (Reconsiderations)

7. On Christian Teaching
Written c. 400; audience is primarily preachers, especially bishops
Augustine tells us he divided the material into two parts:
Rules for Interpreting Scripture (Part I: Books I-III) and
Preaching Scripture (Part 2: Book IV)
How to interpret and preach ambiguous and difficult Scripture passages
Book I
Difference between enjoying something and using it; we should use this world, not enjoy it, in order to return home to God
“Anyone who thinks they have understood Scripture but cannot by his understanding build up this double love of God and neighbor, has not yet succeeded in understanding it” (I.xxxvi)

8. On Christian Teaching (Cont.)
Book II
Theory of signs
To properly read Scripture, must make spiritual ascent ; seven stages of ascent
List of OT and NT canon of Scripture
Use Scripture to interpret Scripture
Problems of translating into Latin; preachers should know Greek and Hebrew
“The authority of the Septuagint is supreme” (II.xv)
Importance of knowing history, geography, astronomy, mathematics and logic in studying Scripture
Book III
“By love I mean the impulse of one’s mind to enjoy God on his own account and to enjoy oneself and one’s neighbor on account of God; and by lust I mean the impulse of one’s mind to enjoy oneself and one’s neighbor and any corporeal thing not on account of God.” (III.x)
All deeds of OT are to be interpreted figuratively as well as literally
Seven rules of Tyconius

9. On Christian Teaching (Cont)
Book IV
Rhetoric can be used to convince people of falsehood; Christian preacher should first of all be concerned to preach the truth
By reading and studying Christian literature outside of canon, preacher can learn how to preach
“The wisdom of what a person says is in direct proportion to his progress in learning the holy Scriptures – and I am not speaking of intensive reading or memorization, but real understanding and careful investigation of their meaning.” (IV.v)
Before preaching, the preacher should lift his soul to God
The benefit of preaching is effected by God
Styles of preaching

10. What does Confession (confessio) mean
Confessio: both ‘accusation of oneself and praise for God’ Sermon 67.2
Sermon 29B (Dolbeau 8; Mainz 21)
Part of recently discovered sermons in Carthusian monastery in Mainz
Analyzed by Francois Dolbeau
Written the same time Augustine was writing Confessions
Preached at vigil of Pentecost on Ps 118:1, “Confess to the Lord, since He is good”
Exposition on two different meanings of confessio

11. Introduction to Confessions
Written shortly after Augustine was named bishop of Hippo ( )
Written at the request of his friend Paulinus of Nola; written 11 years after his baptism
It is Augustine the bishop reflecting in middle age on events in his youth;
It is not telling the story of his youth; it is a reflection
May have been written as a defense against charge that Augustine was still a Manichean
Became an instant best seller
It is first and foremost a prayer, not an autobiography; there should be an AMEN at end of Book XIII

12. Structure Division of 13 Books is Augustine’s division
Usually considered in two parts:
Augustine’s past (I-IX)
Augustine's present (X-XIII)
NB: The last 4 books (Part 2) are an integral part of the whole
In spite of the fact that some editors either abbreviate them or leave them out altogether
Which we will NOT do; Books X-XIII will be studied with equal vigor in this class

13. Structure of Part 1: Augustine’s Past
Can be viewed as a chiasm
Book I: From God; birth and relationship of infant with mother
Book II: Bondage of Flesh
Book III: Slavery of eyes and mind; problem of evil
Book IV Ambition of World
Book V Encounter with Faustus, Manichaeism, philosophy; moving from Carthage to Rome
Book VI: Recognition of emptiness of world’s ambition
Book VII: Freedom of mind; resolution of problem of evil
Book VIII: Liberation from bondage of flesh
Book IX: Relation to Monica, her death, return to God

14. Structure of Part 2: Augustine’s Present
Book X: Augustine the Bishop at the end of his reflection on his youth, meditates on
Memory and knowledge
Sin
Book XI: Augustine the Bishop meditates on
“In the beginning”
What is Time
Book XII: Augustine the Bishop meditates on
“God created the heavens and the earth”
How to interpret Scripture and authorial intent
Book XIII: Augustine the Bishop meditates on
Trinity
Church
NB: Augustine uses the word ‘confessions’ more often in these last four than the previous nine books

15. But the entire work is one grand prayer
I.i (1) ‘Our heart is restless until it rests in you’
In seeking him they will find him, and in finding they will praise him. Lord I would seek you, calling upon you – and calling upon you is an act of believing in you. It is your gift to me. You breathe it into me by the humanity of your Son
XIII.xxxvii (52) There also you will rest in us, just as now you work in us
XIII.xxxviii (53) Only you can be asked, only you can be begged, only on your door can we knock. Yes, indeed, that is how it is received, how it is found, how the door is opened.
AMEN

16. How We Will Read Confessions
Class discussion for entire period of three classes
You must select a topic by next class (Thurs)
Be prepared at following three classes to discuss topic and hand in short paper each class
Tues, Dec 5: Books I-IV
Thurs., Dec 7: Books V – VIII
Tues, Dec 12: Books IX - X
Thurs., Dec. 14: Books XI - XIII
You MUST get these papers done on time for the assigned class with the assigned topic. Late papers will NOT be accepted!!

17. Topics Questions (4) Philosophy (4) Truth and knowledge (4)
Evil and sin (4)
Law, justice and society (4)
Friendship and love (4)
Scripture (4)
Mothers: Monica and/or the Church (4)

18. Augustine’s Reflection on Confessions
confessionum mearum libri tredecim et de malis et de bonis meis deum laudant iustum et bonum atque in eum excitant humanum intellectum et affectum. interim quod ad me attinet, hoc in me egerunt cum scriberentur et agunt cum leguntur.
Retractions 2.6.1
The 13 books of my confession, of both my bad and good, praise the just and good God, and moreover they excite the human intellect and affection towards Him. As for what pertains to me, they did this in me when they were written, and they do this when they are read.

19. Assignments Tolle, lege Topic selection by Thursday Secondary Reading:
EITHER Chadwick “Augustine” in Early Christian Literature, p
OR Introduction by Chadwick in text
OR Brown Augustine of Hippo, Chapter 16
For even more detail, JJ O’Donnell’s three volume commentary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992) on the Confessions is available online at