Confessions (Oxford World's Classics)

Augustine was on a path to learn truth, find God, and experienced twists and turns of self-doubt and a divided will that, I think, anyone pursuing knowledge might find of interests, or someone a bit delusioned and cynical about life may find solace in. Augustine's message is a passionate one, this passion is the shining attribute of his confession -- his giving himself over to a life of honest endeavor to do God's will. He defines what the spirit of an honest pursuit looks like, and could be somewhat applied to all pursuits of truth. It is a bit cathartic to read about this often divided and quite human of a man, who I can't see how anyone could apply the terms orthodox or evangelical too (an Effort/Endeavor seems more on terms with a Christian's experience), and how he came to terms with the mysteries that are in our world. His description why it is impossible to know truth ultimately, but his conlusions behind the message of the meaning of mysteries is powerful stuff in themselves.

Some interesting themes I found, that Augustine expounded on were:
The mysteries of time and memory and what their being mysteries means.
How the soul and music are akin.
Some differences in exegesis are just quibbles that one should agree to disagree on among sincere souls.
Physical delight needs to be checked by reason (Augustine was coming to terms with lust, apparently, even at the time of this writing).
Don't be overly dependant on the praise of man.
Even contempt of the vain can be a vanity of its own sort.
His descriptions of the third temptations.
His admiration of his mother and his descriptions of the sort of person she was.
The true search is the inner search.
There are things the church does to get people interested that are lower than the true spiritual Christian search
Confession is sacrifice...

Almost every page was interesting.

Augustine was always surrounded by friends and was never in serious wanting of food or such, that I understood anyway. It is just the account of a highly intelligent, but splinterd man in search of God, until he comes to terms with the Christian mysteries of good.

I could hear Shakespeare, Waugh, and Wilde echoing in some of his words. Mr. Chadwich also makes it clear that Augustine barrowed a lot from Neo-Platonist authors, especially Plotinus. The book also provides interesting insights into life in North Africa and Italy at that time, and their cultural differences. Augustine, like Aquinas, was North African.

The book was relatively light reading, and highly accessible -- but deep -- especially taken in its entirety. Chadwick's translation, although I cannot attest to the authenticity of it, as I know no Latin, was near poetical and his notes kept my interest by aiding my understanding, clarifying themes and points, without obfuscating the passion of Augustine's message.
Highly catharctic, enjoyable reading.


Thoughtful and Powerful   January 21, 2002
Bethany McKinney (Los Angeles, CA)
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

This book is much much more than just an autobiography of Augustine and his road to the Christian faith. It is filled with exhortations and insight about the character of God and the nature of people. It is a book about struggling with sin and with realizing that God deserves to be Lord of every aspect of your life--and trying to live that out. It's also a story of the power of prayer, and an encouragement (through his comments about his mother) to persevere in prayer and supplication. Plus, it's just a reminder of the many wonderful aspects of who God is--because every time Augustine says something about God, he affirms something about His character. He will say something like, "God, in whom there is no darkness, has illuminated the eyes of my heart." It is both a telling of Augustine's own story, and also a story of God. This book is very dense, and packed with thoughts and ideas that must be slowly digested to really take root in our own minds. It's not a book that can or should be read quickly, it should be savored and pondered and given time for much reflection and evaluation. It's a tough book, but I do not think that you need a commentary to fully appreciate it (though an understanding of the time it was written sure wouldn't hurt). Get ready to be exhorted.


Interesting Work of Ancient Literature   June 25, 2009
Ronald C. Payne
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

This is a famous Christian work by what many believe to be the greatest theologian in Christian history. To be quite honest, this was a very tough read for me, especially near the end. When Augustine was speaking about his life experiences, the book was great but when he started getting deep into philosophy, I lost interest. As the footnotes in my version make clear (Henry Chadwick was the translator) Augustine was very much influenced by Platonic and Neoplatonic philosophy. His whole thought world was very different then our own. His philosophical musings were elaborate but eloquently irrelevant to me personally.

His entire outlook on his past sins, the virtues of his mother and the all pervasiveness of God's grace were what gripped me the most about this work. Despite all his faults, God's forgiveness brought by His grace touched Augustine profoundly. In one story from Augustine's childhood he stole peaches from a neighbors tree just for the thrill of doing something wrong. He agonizes over this sin that most people would not have mentioned. Sin isn't just about the wrongness of the crime itself but the state of one's whole heart in committing particular sins. Jesus was correct when he spoke about an evil treasure coming out of an evil heart. Sin is a privation, a twisting distortion, something that is unnervingly banal, while living in the Spirit is truly living in the light of true goodness, beauty and life.

Augustine had a very metaphorical interpretation of Genesis that would rub a both young Earth and old Earth creationists the wrong way. Reading that reaffirmed by belief that Genesis and the Bible as a whole aren't meant to be a science textbook but is the gift of God's revelation to us. One does not have to take any type of literal reading of Genesis to be a Christian.

Overall, I recommend reading the biographical parts of this book and skipping most of it, unless of course you are a big ancient philosophy buff.