Augustine of Hippo was one of Christianity’s great thinkers, perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. Augustine’s adaptation of classical thought to Christian teaching created a theological system of great power and lasting influence.1 He has written numerous works that have shaped Christian scholarship and have changed the landscape of the Christian thought process. In Confessions Book 1 Augustine appears to wrestle with the inner workings of the faith. He comes to many conclusions but is also forthright about concepts he is unsure about. For example, He concludes that we, as humans, are born with sin and will reach a point in which we will act on that sin. He states, “Who remindeth me of the sins of my infancy? for in Thy sight none is pure from sin, not even the infant whose life is but a day upon the earth. Who remindeth me? doth not each little infant, in whom I see what of myself I remember not? What then was my sin? was it that I hung upon the breast and cried? for should I now so do for food suitable to my age, justly should I be laughed at and reproved”2 He Goes on to highlight that consciousness of sin plays a factor, in relation to how Christ judges us. He states that “custom and reason” is why children are not judged on sin. They cannot understand reproof, therefore they cannot be judged. He also speaks on the certainty that God is an uncontained God, though He fills the earth and fills all things to its capacity. If He can fill all things, how can He be contained? One concept that Augustine wrestles with that is relevant to my own experiences is understanding the way in which God is in us, but we speak to (and pray to) the authority that is in Him, not ourselves. I understand this inherently, though I’ve had issues explaining this concept to someone who held the position that we humans- are God because God is in us, and we can worship what is in us. Wrong, but I spoke with someone of a different faith who believes that there is an energy or piece of God in everything and that we are honoring what He has created, even if that includes ourselves. The way that Augustine wrestled with, and answered, these issues in the faith should cause us to reflect on how we view our human experience in relation to Scripture. Do we simply know that it is Scripture, but do not see it play out in our reality? If so, does that make it an untrue belief? If it is true and logical, then we should see it play out in my human experiences. Augustine’s confessions showcase that we do have questions and conclusions that can be matched to our human experience because it is true, and we were made to worship God.
Sources:
[1] O'Donnell, J.. "St. Augustine." Encyclopedia Britannica, April 23, 2024.
[2] Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo, The Confessions of St. Augustine, trans. E. B. Pusey (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996).
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