St. Augustine (Nov. 13,
354-August 28, 430) was born in what is now in Algeria, in what was then Roman Africa. His father was a pagan, and his mother was a
Christian and a Berber. He attended
school and at the age of 17 went to Carthage
where he studied rhetoric. Though he
was raised as a Christian, he began following the Manichaean religion. He also fell into a hedonistic
lifestyle. Briefly he taught in
Thagaste, his home town and whet on to Carthage
to teach rhetoric. Nine years later,
disappointed in his students, he left for Rome,
but found the students little improved. He
eventually ended up in Milan
where he taught rhetoric. Disappointed
in Manichaeism, he turned briefly to the New Academy
movement, though his mother and Neo-Platonism led him towards
Christianity. Inspired by the life of St. Anthony, he had a vision and was inspired to read
Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Inspired,
he accepted Christ and was baptised on the Easter Vigil of 387by Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who had also inspired him.
In 388 he wrote on the Holiness
of the Catholic Church and returned to Africa. In Africa,
he sold most of his patrimony except his father’s house which was converted
into a monastery, and was ordained priest in 391. He was famous for his preaching and fighing
Manichaeanism. In 395, he became
coadjutor Bishop of Hippo and upon the
Bishop’s death, the Diocesan Bishop. He
died during a Vandal invasion of Hippo, which was completely destroyed except
for the library and cathedral.
Augustine wrote many works, many
against heresies, and also the City of God inspired by the defeat of Rome, and Confessions. His writings influenced many theologians,
both Catholic and Protestant, and are still important today.
Confession of St. Augustine is a Genre well known by many evangelicals, but forgotten by others. The first example of this genre are found in St. Paul’s epistle, where he describes himself as the worst of all sinners, but was saved by God’s grace. St. Augustine’s Confessions is much the same, the story of a boy raised Christian, but turning his back on Messiah, and living a dissolute life, but coming to the kingdom, and becoming an important member of that kingdom through God’s grace. Today we can hear similar stories on Unshackled (http://www.unshackled.org/), stories which serve both to bring people to God, and to remind us not to be smug about our own faith.
The City of God, on the other hand is a document showing the constant struggle between good and evil. The book reflects both the struggles of the church with heresies of the time, and the struggles of the Roman Empire against the barbarian invaders. The idea of original sin is found in this book, the doctrine that was oriniated by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, indicates that all mankind is contaminated by the sin of Adam, and that because of it, we have no power in and of ourselves to be saved. We must be called by the Holy Spirit, who changes our hearts and gives us the power to live life as God would have us live it.
Confession of St. Augustine is a Genre well known by many evangelicals, but forgotten by others. The first example of this genre are found in St. Paul’s epistle, where he describes himself as the worst of all sinners, but was saved by God’s grace. St. Augustine’s Confessions is much the same, the story of a boy raised Christian, but turning his back on Messiah, and living a dissolute life, but coming to the kingdom, and becoming an important member of that kingdom through God’s grace. Today we can hear similar stories on Unshackled (http://www.unshackled.org/), stories which serve both to bring people to God, and to remind us not to be smug about our own faith.
The City of God, on the other hand is a document showing the constant struggle between good and evil. The book reflects both the struggles of the church with heresies of the time, and the struggles of the Roman Empire against the barbarian invaders. The idea of original sin is found in this book, the doctrine that was oriniated by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, indicates that all mankind is contaminated by the sin of Adam, and that because of it, we have no power in and of ourselves to be saved. We must be called by the Holy Spirit, who changes our hearts and gives us the power to live life as God would have us live it.
St. Augustine also originates the Christian
theory of just war. Prior to the time of
Augustine, the majority of Christians were what we would call extreme
pacifists. The Barbarian invasions made
this obvious that this state of affairs could not endure. Augustine tells us, "The commandment
forbidding killing was not broken by those who have waged wars on the authority
of God, or those who have imposed the death-penalty on criminals when representing the authority
of the state, the justest and most reasonable source of power," and again,
in The City of God, “But, say they,
the wise man will wage just wars. As if he would not all the rather lament the
necessity of just wars, if he remembers that he is a man; for if they were not
just he would not wage them, and would therefore be delivered from all wars.” For more on the development of just war
theory, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory
Collect:
Father, you raised up your bishop, Augustine of Hippo in a
time fraught with temporal dangers and hardships to inspire people to seek the
City of God. Help us to be seekers of that eternal city,
that we may always know that our true citizenship is in heaven and that we are
heaven’s ambassadors here on earth. This
we ask in the name of him whom we represent here on earth, Yeshuah, the true
and rightful king. Amen. (white)
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