About this title: One of the earliest autobiographies, as well the paradigm for all subsequent literary "confessions," St. Augustine's 13-volume work is a classic of Christian theology and Western philosophy. In the confessions, St. Augustine addresses God, revealing the details of his life up to his conversion to Christianity and reflecting on a former life of sin. He also offers a description of the Creation and his thoughts on the nature of the self, life, philosophy, and theology, along with prayers and meditations. The work was written c. 397-401.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass Market
Publisher: Spire Books
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780800787622ISBN:0800787625
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Binding: Mass Market
Publisher: Spire Books
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780800787622ISBN:0800787625
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: REVEL FLEMING H
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780800787622ISBN:0800787625
Description: New. Confessions is one of the most moving diaries ever recorded of a man's journey to the fountain of God's grace. Writing as a sinner, not a saint, Augustine shares his innermost thoughts and conversion experiences, and wrestles with the spiritual quest... read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Baker Book House USA
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780800787622ISBN:0800787625
Description: New. Invites readers to join the author in his quest that led him to be one of the most influential Christian thinkers in the history of the church. read more
"A fascinating autobiographical account of a man who has gone down in history as one of the greatest philosophers and theologians that ever lived. His oft-quoted words, "Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee" perhaps best sum up the heartfelt writings contained in this collection. One cannot help but both smile at his subtly humorous monologues ("There I put my ear to the cauldron and heard from within and all around a song of unholy loves. I did not love, but I loved the thought of love. And in the depths of my desires, I detested the fact that I could not love more. I looked for something to love in my love of loving.") and be challenged by his profound observations ("My faith was no larger than what my eyes could see. It never occurred to me that the very mental processes I used to reason such things were real enough to do wondrous things and form marvelous images, yet it did not have form of the sort I was demanding that my God fit.")."
"I'm really hoping that this book gets better. Augustine's droning is melodramatic and is resulting in multiple eye-rolls on my part. He has very interesting things to say about his relationship with God, but his long explanations of his various infant or adolescent sins seem to overpower the pages. I was particularly annoyed as he described his conflict recalling his infancy, as he couldn't quite remember all of the sins and assumed that they were insignificant and then goes on forever about stealing pears. Maybe I have too high of expectations? I've read other Augustinian writings, if I remember correctly, I liked them very much. I'm just fearful that this entire book will be a chronicle of all of Augustine's sins playing again and again on a broken record. God's grace ensures that one's sins are forgiven upon repentance. Since his sins are canonized in this text, I wonder if Augustine submitted himself to God and actually accepted the forgiveness that was offered."
"This book elucidates how directly self-narration brings about self-realization. The "personal testimony" of religious conversion occupies a momentous place in the evangelical Christian tradition. The act of narrating an encounter with the divine takes on the characteristics of a creative act. When St. Augustine narrates his "conversion" he brings his feelings, impressions, perceptions about the holy out of the realm of subjectivity and emotion and into a format he can apprehend and use, and consequently share as his testimony.
This book provoked thoughts such as: (1) Narration of a personal divine revelation/encounter is an overt act of creation. (Especially since Augustine's understanding of his conversion changes markedly from the immediate post-conversion period as the matured narrative he offers years later is "re-written"/re-narrated. (2) The narration of one's testimony undergoes revision as its applicability/usefulness/relevance to the believer is recalculated.
It makes for some exciting thought, especially from a phenomenological perspective. This book also welcomes thought such as that of Paul Tillich."
"Chadwick's translation of Augustine's Confessions (note that this is a confession to God, while read by men) is one of the best. It is not costly in a monetary sense; new it is a mere 6.95. However, it is deceptively short. A chapter will take you two hours if you give it the attention it deserves. Augustine is a circular writer. He is not a bad writer - he was known to be a merciless editor, in fact. But he goes around and around, especially later on in the last chapters of the book when he is wondering aloud, in a sense, about more neo-platonic and loftier, metaphysical questions he is asking of God and thinking aloud/reasoning as best he can with his brilliant mind on paper; recognizing that that mind is a gift from God and he is to steward it. It gets hairy. It gets *hard* to stick with.
If you can, and you do, you will find yourself perhaps having some of the same reactions I did: a)I always wondered the same thing, or b)I am not even smart enough to have even thought to have wondered that or possibly even c)I have no idea what he's even talking about anymore.
Had I not taken a course solely on The Confessions, when I had to read De Trinitate in a later theology class I most likely would have had a crisis of faith and quit. Because I was used to his style of writing and knew who the Manichees were, what the background was and the Neo-Platonic, socio-historical setting Augustine was situated in, I could confront De Trinitate and later, "for fun," I was brazen enough to take on The City of God.
There was nothing Augustine didn't talk about or no issue he didn't confront as Bishop when he was alive, because he was a very prolific writer. He spent his time not in fancy robes as one may imagine, but answering questions of the people - he was an ad hoc theologian. We are still reaping the benefits of that today, for his answers were good ones and are still relevant. Before he became bishop, though, he lived the life he spells out on the pages of the Confessions, which are not tales of endless days skipping carelessly along smooth paths by any stretch of the imagination. He reveals facets of himself not very becoming of a bishop; facets that are human. He was the first to admit to having such personality traits and publish a book about it and turn it back into praise to God when it was previously just material for gossip. Remaining human all the while, he points steadfastly to God, which is why this book is so crucial to know intimately. He speaks of heartbreak and loss in a way that you want to turn to it when you go through it (I did). He speaks of those who will naysay you when you have changed, speaking of who you were and not who you are, and you will again want to turn to his words. It is invaluable."
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