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An examination of conscience for all time

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The place of St. Augustine's Confessions in the history of spiritual writing cannot be underestimated, so I will not belabor the point here. Suffice it to say, this book is, indeed, one of the great literary/spiritual classics ever written.
It has been, for me, however, even more valuable as an examination of conscience. When I read of St. Augustine's sin, I see my own sinfulness; when I read of St. Augustine's doubts, I see my own lackluster faith; when I read of St. Augustine's cries to the Triune God for help, I pray that the Almighty will have mercy on me, as well.
Very much like St. Augustine, I have often implored God for help & guidance, promising fidelity to His Commandments, but always accepting that guidance in my time, not in God's time. Like me, you may read the Confessions of St. Augustine & see quite a bit of yourself in what he has to say. The difficulty can be, though, that you may not like what you find. Nevertheless, I would urge you to read this book at some point in your life. You may just discover what St. Augustine eventually realized about the Lord: that your heart will be at peace once it rests in Him.

Pax et Bonum!

Up Close and Personal

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Augustine of Hippo was a very interesting character who had immense influence on church theology long after he was dead and buried. Some of his thoughts on church discipline and just war had long term results that he may have disliked, but his personal journey was an interesting one.

Written as a "letter" to God, "Confessions" takes the reader through Augustine's life of wandering searchs in a variety of places for the spiritual solace that he desired. His comments on Manichaeism, philosophy and Christianity are personal and coloured by his own experiences. His own thoughts are very negative and dark in places, though "Confessions" smacks of a brutal honesty that is rare. At times, his writings are coloured by his disappointments, such as meeting with Manichaean priests.

The Penguin translation is sometimes a touch dry in the presentation of Augustine, and that can make reading a bit difficult in places. At times the style is a touch on the hard going side. However, being quite cheap, this book gives you a very cost-effective introduction to the life of the man.

However, this should not detract from the overall value of such a personal look into the life and reflections of one of theology's great historical figures. While I felt this version was not the best, the personal look at Augustine's life, loves, and disappointments put some "flesh and blood" on the person who is so often quoted in theological text books and so on.

If you have not read this, then I recommend doing so. It is a cool book.

Worthwhile even for agnostics

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Before reading any St. Augustine, I had formed an image of him as an intolerant puritan, almost Taliban-esque. As an agnostic, I did not at all expect to find him a sympathetic figure. The "Confessions," however, reveal a warmly human, hugely intelligent man, relating his own open-minded spiritual journey, which included way-stops at Manicheeism and neo-Platonism. Augustine formulated his religious and ethical systems through careful deliberation and observation, aided by an epiphany or two; his is not a story of blind, unthinking faith or of mysterious visions. His concept of God seems little different from the Chinese concept of the Tao, and his concept of grace little different from the Buddhist concept of enlightenment. Thus, there is considerable interest in his viewpoint even for non-Catholics, non-Christians, and non-believers.

In addition, this book also constitutes an autobiography of material existence in the waning years of the Western Roman Empire, and thus should be of great interest to any classicist. Little examples: Augustine confirms that, at least around 400 A.D., the normal way to read, even among the most highly literate, was aloud; Ambrose's habit of reading silently to himself inspires considerable comment and speculation. We learn that high school students were rowdy, then as now. The Roman Emperor didn't seem to matter much in the lives of citizens.

The Penguin translation by Mr. Pine-Coffin is excellent and very readable. He avoids the archaic "thou's" that plague many translations. Regrettably, the cover material chooses to emphasize the translator's status as a Roman Catholic as his single most important attribute, and his introductory comments are likely to strike non-Catholics as intolerant. Skip over that, and get right into Augustine's writing itself.

wow

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St. Augustine's Confessions is a masterpiece of literature. One of the first books ever written from an introspective first-person point of view, it is an intensely personal glimpse into one man's mind, soul, and relationship with God.

The first nine of Confessions' thirteen books are the story of Augustine's life, beginning with his birth and early education. He recounts his sinful lifestyle and his mother's constant grief and prayers for him, and he praises God for faithfully seeking him until at last he was converted to Christianity.

Books ten through thirteen explore the mind, the memory, the nature of time, and the interpretation of Genesis 1. Augustine displays his intellectual brilliance the most in these books, sometimes almost leaving the reader in the dust. The insights and opinions he offers, however, are ingenious.

The entirety of Confessions is written with such eloquent style one can only conclude that his expensive education to be a master of rhetoric paid off. Some of the passages are so beautifully written that you have to stop, reread it, and think about it.

Confessions is a challenge to read, but it is well worth it. Its depth, vulnerability, and beauty are seldom, if ever, matched.

Brave, Bold, Beautiful . . . .

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True medicine for the heart: read it with the Bible. For centuries, AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS has touched people's hearts and inspired the greatest philosophers to think on God, time, memory, creation, and our humble existence.