Confessions Penguin Classics
When Saint Augustine wrote his Confessions he was facing, and responding to, a growing spread of asceticism in the Roman world.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars AWESOME
I recieved the book way earlier than I'd expected and it was in really good shape.
3 Stars A Defining Book of Western Christianity
St. Augustine's Confessions is a classic. It is one of the defining documents of western Christianity since the fourth century. As such, it is a fascinating read. It sets forth the doctrines of original sin and human sexuality in ways that are still holding sway in the twenty-first century. As such, it fits the true definition of a classic.
That said, it is a rather tedious read for contemporary readers. The rhetorical style of the fourth century addressed every possible angle in a debate in order to prove a point. For modern readers, this becomes out and out boring. I also have some problems with St Augustine's idea that human sexual expression is a basic expression of sin. I also have some real issues with the Platonism that he pulls into his doctrine, elevating the soul above the body. To my understanding, this negates much of Genesis's understanding of creation.
So, overall, the book is worth reading, but be prepared to have issues raised and to disagree with Augustine, even if he is a saint.
5 Stars Life Changing
I first came across St. Augustine's "Confessions" when I was a freshman in college. It was a monumental experience in terms of both the content of his writing and the freshness and relevance of his writing style. After re-reading them again recently, I am still struck with how contemporary the book feels. Aside from many of its 4th century particularities, the concerns that St. Augustine had and the way he frankly and honestly dealt with them could be lifted from almost any contemporary tell-all autobiography. The biggest exception is the fact that "Confessions" is a quintessentially and irreducibly a religious text, and in an age when religious considerations are largely pushed towards the margins of their life stories, it is refreshing and uplifting to see what would a life look like for someone who took them very seriously and committed himself to reorganizing one's whole life around the idea of serving God wholly and uncompromisingly. "Confessions" is a very accessible text, and for the most part it does not deal with theological and philosophical issues. The exception is the latter part of the book, which are almost exclusively dedicated to those topics. You may want to skip those at the first reading, but I would encourage you to read them nevertheless. Maybe the very inspiring and uplifting story of St. Augustine's conversion to Christianity can lead you into deeper considerations about your faith or the meaning of life in general. I cannot think of a better introduction to those topics than "Confessions," nor of a better guide than St. Augustine.
5 Stars Confessions (Penguin Classic)
Excellent, natural translation of Augustine's Confessions. Good for personal or group study of his ideas and writings. The chair of the Philosophy department at a nearby Christian college recommended this translation. He's right!
5 Stars A Journey for All to Follow
Last week I had the pleasure of finishing Augustine's Confessions for the third time–once for high school, once for college, and now once for my monthly book club. This is a book well worth a third read. Writing during the decay of the Roman Empire, Augustine provides a unique glimpse at the religious culture of the time and gives an inspirational example to Christians today (who live in much the same sort of world).
Augustine's mother Monica was a devout Christian. She raised her son in the principles of the faith, but it was not until much later in life that he joined her in the ranks of believers. While going to school in Carthage (Northern Africa), Augustine became initiated into a religious group known as the Manichees. The Manichees believed in a dualistic world where material things were considered vile and spiritual things the highest good. For several years Augustine explored this sect and probed it to its depths. What he found there could not satisfy him. He yearned for a better path to salvation. His mother Monica had an answer to give him, but it was an answer he could not accept. How could the Son of God possibly take on a material body? It was absurd!
Because Augustine's parents wanted him to wait and make a politically brilliant marriage, they did not seek out a wife for him in his youth. Augustine became ensnared by sexual desire and took a mistress whom he refused to part with. He brought her (and their son) to Milan when he moved there to further his career. As a teacher of rhetoric, Augustine was always interested in watching great rhetoricians. The best speaker in town was Ambrose, the bishop of Milan. As Ambrose used his rhetorical skills to powerfully proclaim the truth of the Gospel. Augustine's Gnostic notions began to crumble. Perhaps it was not so absurd that God became Man for us?
Though Augustine had come to a philosophical agreement with the Christian faith, there was still one set of shackles holding him back, the shackles of lust. Augustine recognized that if he became a new man in Christ he must conform to the moral standards of the Word of God. Could he live celibate? Impossible! Enmeshed in his sinful desires, Augustine was finally set free by the clarion call of the Word of God. He confessed that Christ had come in the flesh, renounced his own fleshly lusts, and fulfilled his mother's prayers for his salvation.
While the first part of the book is a chronological account of Augustine's spiritual journey, the second part of the book is much less of an autobiography than it is a meditation on God–His glory, His goodness, and His work of Creation. Some readers may find this section tedious, but the extra effort it takes to read it allows you a greater appreciation of the wonder Augustine experienced when his wandering was finally over.
Review by Rosanne Lortz, author of "I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince"
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