St. Augustine

Rachel Gallina

Section 16

December 7, 2011

St. Augustine of Hippo

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” Augustine, the bishop of Hippo is one of the most prominent figures of the early Church, and was one of the most productive writers of his age. He wrote many books on the history of church life, such as the Confessions.

Augustine was born at Thagaste, Numidia on November 13, 354. His father Patricius became a catechumen (one who is preparing for a baptism in from a catechist) shortly before Augustine reached his sixteenth year. Though his mother Monnica appeared to be an honorable, loving, and bright woman, she was not always the model Christian mother that most belief she was. Her early religious life suggested of worldliness and her ambition for her son seemed to have had little moral sincerity at first. She regretted his Manichaeism greatly though. Two things specifically attracted him to Manichaeism. Manichean’s felt at liberty to criticize the Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament, and they also held chastity and self-discipline in honor. This fit in with Augustine’s view on the Bible as well as his lifestyle at the time. This is the prayer he spoke during this time, "Lord, give me chastity and temperance, but not now.” Though he knew he should be chaste in his actions, Augustine (like many) was not yet willing to give up the pleasures of the skin. He held firmly to Manichaeism for nine years, during which time he attempted to convert all of his friends. He rejected the sacraments of the Church, and frequently held conflicts with Catholic believers.

Patricius and Monnica were extremely proud of Augustine. He received his first education at Thagaste. He learned to read, write, and learned the origins of Greek and Latin literature. His teachers followed old traditional pagan methods; he seemed to receive no organized instruction in the Christian faith during this time. His father was thrilled with Augustine’s progress in his educations and sent him to the neighboring town of Madura, and then to Carthage.

When he began his studies in Carthage, he became very promiscuous. Augustine was extremely ambitious though, and did not allow these indulgences to interfere with his studies. Soon after his arrival to Carthage, Augustine had an affair with a woman, who birthed his child, Adeodatus in 372. Though he knew their relations were sinful, he continued their union. Monnica attempted to convince Augustine to marry the young woman, but they never were married. He remained faithful to her until 385, when she left him. Augustine seemed to have quite an attachment to her and felt much grief after their departing, raising curiosity to why they never married. The young woman’s name has never been told and it is also unknown as to why Augustine chose not to marry her. Augustine’s lover left him and returned to her home, Carthage, where she buried herself into the monastery, atoning for the sins the two had long indulged in. Adeodatus was left with Augustine, who seemed to marvel at his son’s intelligence, “The grandeur of his mind filled me with a kind of terror.”

Augustine’s sexual desires were strong in him, and though he knew they were wrong and desired a more pleasant life, he was not ready to give up his lifestyle. Monnica fervently and repeatedly pushed Christianity upon him, but Augustine was much to enthralled by the pleasure he received in his current regime. He had explored several philosophies, but he believed that Christianity was the one religion that could give him his ideal outcome. One day, in 386, Augustine felt particular struggle over the matter and went to the garden to figure it out. He fell to the ground in trees underneath a fig tree. He then heard children playing and repeating what sounded like a rhyming game, but matched none that he had heard before. They were saying “Take up and read” repeatedly. Augustine took this as a sign from above. He picked up a Bible and read the first thing that was opened, Romans 13, “Let us walk honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness.” Augustine read nothing further that one line, and from that day forward committed himself to Christianity. Believing this was a sign from God he took to it immediately, and his friend Alypius, who was with him during this event, also read a passage, which led him to the same conclusion as Augustine. The two were converted by this seemingly divine event. Together, the two went to Monnica to tell her the news of their conversions. Soon after Augustine was baptized by St. Ambrose, one his mothers close friends. Augustine was intent on leaving his old life behind.

In 388 Augustine returned to Thagaste. Augustine was a different man than he had been when he had previously lived there. Alypius and Adeodatus traveled there with him. There, the three men started a simple, quiet life, and pursued their favorite studies. The death of Adeodatus is unknown, but it is known that he died early in life, most likely when he was sixteen. Around 391, Augustine found a friend in Hippo who helped him start a monastery. He sold his inheritance to pay for the foundation, and was ordained. There he was active in preaching for baptism, and was able to start forming a monastic community. His monastery also had a clerical school.

As Augustine became better known, the current bishop of Hippo, Valerius, grew fearful of losing Augustine to a neighboring city. Valerius wished to keep him in Hippo permanently, which everyone seemed to highly agree upon. Augustine, however, was not in favor of this idea, but Valerius was determined. In 395 Augustine was consecrated. After his consecration Augustine began defending the cause of the Church in several letters and sermons. Some of these writing have been lost. As for Valerius, it is not known when exactly he died, but he left most of his work for his assistant to do while he was still alive.

In 430, barbarian invaders barricaded Hippo. Three months into the invasion, Augustine became ill with a fever. He had the Penitential Psalms placed on the wall in his room, so that he could read them daily. About these words he said, “Even Christians revere for the sanctity of their lives, even presbyters, ought not to leave the world without fitting thoughts of penitence.” On August 28^th he died. He left behind no property. He did however have many books, which he had obtained for the library of the church, some being corrected copies of his own works that were very valuable. Soon after his death, the barbarians left the city, but soon returned burning down the entire city except for Augustine’s cathedral and library.

Opus imperfectum, one of Augustine’s latest letters, concluded in these words, "That we may have a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and love, let this be your prayer for us (as it is ours for you), wherever you are; for, wherever we are, there is no place where he is not whose we are."