In this course, we will read together St Augustine's Confessions, focusing especially on certain memorable and famous passages.
See the handout below.
Listen online [here]!
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St Augustine’s Confessions
Session 1: Introduction and Outline
Course Outline
August 12th, Session 1 - Introduction and Outline of the Confessions, Book I
Book I, Ch 1-5
August 19th, Session 2 - Book II, The Pear Tree & Book IV, The Death of His Friend
Book II, Ch 4-6
Book IV, Ch 4-12
August 26th, Session 3 - Book VI, Monica and Ambrose & Book VII, On Evil
Book VI, Ch 1-6
Book VII, Ch 3-5, 11-16
September 2nd, Session 4 - Book VIII, Conversion & Book IX, Monica’s Life and Death
Book VIII, Ch 8-12
Book IX, Ch 8-13
September 9th, Session 5 - Book XI, On Time & Book XIII, On The Days of Creation
Book XI, Ch 1-9, 20
Book XIII, Ch 1-2, 12-14, 20, 35-38
We are using the Ignatius Press Critical Edition, edited by David Vincent Meconi, with the translation by Maria Boulding.
I. Biographical Notes
St Augustine was born in Thagaste in North Africa (modern day Algeria), in AD 354. His mother, Monica was Christian; his father, Patricius was pagan but later converted. Received a solid education in rhetoric and philosophy, as well as other major fields of study. St Augustine’s mispent youth is well known. Augustine studied in Carthage, and later begin his own work as a teacher there. In Carthage, he took a concubine (lived with her for about 15 years, from around 17 years old to around 32 years old), and his son Adeodatus was born around 372. Augustine also fell into Manichaeism. Cicero’s work Hortensius helped Augustine to desire higher things, but his conversion was still a long way off.
St Augustine went to Rome and then to Milan, looking for better teaching opportunities - and then he met St Ambrose in 384. He also began to see the errors of the Manichaes and adopted Neo-platonic philosophy which was helpful in bringing him to Christianity. He was baptized at Easter 387. Monica died shortly after this.
Augustine returned to North Africa, and was ordained bishop of Hippo in 395 (age 41).
St Augustine served the Church as a bishop for 35 years until his death in 430.
II. When and Why Did St Augustine Write His Confessions? To Whom?
The Confessions stand out from all that had yet been written up to this time.
- Comparisons to the Aeneid (explicit mention in Confessions), as now an epic journey in returning to God.
- The first autobiographical work
- The “audience” is actually God, this book is an extended prayer
- St Augustine wrote between 397 and 400, shortly after being made a bishop. This book is written somewhat in the middle of his adult life (he lives 354 to 430).
- The Confessions are written not only as a confession of sin, but a confession of praise to God. Further, this book serves as a guide for others. Also, St Augustine examines the way God works in the human soul, the journey of conversion, and the problem of evil (specifically, the reality of sin).
III. Introductory Notes on Confessions, Why It is a Great Book
Likely the most influential book in the history of the Church (after the inspired Scriptures) – both as a story of conversion and a spiritual work, and also as a theological masterpiece.
Works of St Augustine that are most influential: Confessions, City of God, Commentary on John, On Christian Doctrine.
St Augustine is one of the original eight doctors of the Church. Four western doctors are: St Ambrose, St Augustine, St Jerome, and Pope St Gregory the Great. Four eastern doctors: St Athanasius, St Basil the Great, St Gregory Nazienzen, and St John Chrysostom. St Augustine is specifically named “Doctor of Grace”.
Note that there are almost no names of characters in the first half of the book. Some say this is to hide the identity of certain sinners, others say this is to illustrate how he was self-centered before his conversion. One thing to consider, it seems that those who did not lead Augustine toward God are not given a name, but those who did lead him to God are named - turning away from God leads to non-being, but true existence is life in God.
IV. Outline of St Augustine’s Confessions
See handout from Dr John Love (provided through the Institute for Catholic Culture)
In his late work Retractions, St Augustine calls this book his “Confessions in Thirteen Books,” and tells us that the first ten books are about his life and the final three books are a commentary on Sacred Scripture (specifically Genesis 1:1 to 2:3).
“My Confessions, in thirteen books, praise the righteous and good God as they speak either of my evil or good, and they are meant to excite men’s minds and affections toward him. At least as far as I am concerned, this is what they did for me when they were being written and they still do this when read. What some people think of them is their own affair; but I do know that they have given pleasure to many of my brethren and still do so. The first through the tenth books were written about myself; the other three about Holy Scripture, from what is written there, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,even as far as the reference to the Sabbath rest.”
See three handouts with study questions from Anthony Esolen.
V. Additional Resources
Institute for Catholic Culture
ICC Book Club, Confessions of St Augustine with Anthony Esolen
PDF Study Questions for each book
Lecture by John Cuddeback, Icons of Conversion: St Augustine
Two Lectures by Mark Wunsch
Two Lectures by John Love
Hillsdale Lecture: Great Books 101, Ancient to Medieval, Lesson 8, Confessions
Ascension Press, Catholic Classics Podcast: About 70 podcasts (each around 20 to 25 minutes), a day by day read through of the Confessions with commentary on the text (60 days, plus a number of “bonus podcasts”). Fr Gregory Pine, op and Fr Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, op.
The Teaching Company has a 24 part series on The Confessions, taught by Cook and Hertzman (not presented in a specifically Catholic way, but as a literary work).
As one would expect, FORMED (The Augustine Institute) also has a six part series on the Confessions, each video being about 25 minutes.
Book: The Conversion of Augustine, by Romano Guardini
A second translation by Anthony Esolen, published through TAN
