St Augustine’s Life Before Converting to Christianity
The life of St Augustine before converting to Christianity is an engaging story of early success, personal struggle, and spiritual growth. Born in 354 AD in present-day Algeria, Augustine’s mother, Monica, was a devout Christian and worked hard to instill her faith in her son. His father, Patricius, was a pagan who opposed Monica’s Christianity. Despite their differences, Augustine was an exceptional student. By age 11, he had excelled in grammar and rhetoric, training that would prove invaluable in his future endeavors. He went on to study the controversial Manichean heresy, one of the first instances of ecclesiastical division, deeply upending the ideas of religious orthodoxy.
At age 17, Augustine left his affluent home for the university town of Carthage, where he engaged in intense academic studies and a disreputable lifestyle. Following 17 years of struggle, Augustine moved to Milan in 384 AD, a move inspired by his commitment to his philosophical studies. In Milan, Augustine studied under the bishop Ambrose, who provided him with a persuasive conversion to Christianity. Augustine’s baptism in 387 ultimately confirmed the beginning of his ‘conversion’ through his intense self-reflection and ongoing religious deliberations.
Events Surrounding Augustine’s Conversion to Christianity
Augustine’s delayed conversion to Christianity has perplexed historians and theologians, particularly as it contrasted with Christianity’s strong presence in his childhood. However, in the Confessions, Augustine wrote that God prepared the path for conversion with a series of events. The first event occurred in 386, when the bishop of Hippo Regius, Valerius, helped Augustine establish himself in Milan and opened up his intellect to Christianity. Soon after, Augustine was prompted to read the book De Vita Beata (The Blessed Life) that discussed a life that sought peace of mind through charity and service. Augustine was profoundly moved and in a letter to Simplicianus, his advisor, wrote that the book invigorated his withered soul with hope.
The second event Occurred in 384 after Augustine was exposed to Ambrose’s teachings of the Bible in the church of Milan. Through Ambrose’s sermons, Augustine discovered an understanding of scripture that provided him with answers to theological questions that had long perplexed him, especially the mystery of the trinity. Augustine further explored the Book of Romans, in which he found passages catering to his inner struggle and was encouraged to find salvation through the grace of God.
The final event, according to Augustine, was one of divine providence. When he was baptized in Milan on Easter, April 3rd 386, he found the ultimate answer to his spiritual yearnings. This conversion was Augustine’s spiritual awakening, and it transformed him into a defender of the faith.
Augustine’s Legacy and Impact
Augustine was an influential figure in the development of Christianity, challenged the Roman Empire, and influenced both Western and Eastern civilization. He provided a rational explanation for Christian philosophy and illuminated the synthesis of faith and reason, between body and soul, between free will and predestination, and between God and humanity.
Augustine refuted various heretical and unorthodox ideas. His philosophical and theological teachings such as co-eternity of the Son and Holy Spirit, original sin, and justification of faith over works have been incorporated into Christianity to this day.
Augustine’s work is considered monumental in the fight against paganism—particularly his attack on Apuleius, a local fortune-teller and cult-leader, who was attempting to challenge the teachings of Christianity. Augustine is seen as one of the most influential converts to Christianity, and his teachings have been adopted by subsequent Christian denominations.
Augustine’s Writings
Augustine’s writings were pivotal in the ascension of Christianity in North Africa, and many of them remain relevant today. He wrote numerous essays, books, and letters to document his spiritual journey and his belief in Christianity. Most notably, he authored City of God, a lengthy explanation of Christianity and its place at the end of the Roman Empire, and Confessions, a spiritual autobiography of his life before and after he converted.
City of God was influential in reasserting the religious power of Christianity. Further, Confessions was inspiring for its personal perspective and reflections on theological questions. These works established Augustine as the most prolific Christian author during his time. His work has been an enduring source of inspiration for subsequent generations of theologians.
Reception of Augustine’s Conversion
Augustine’s conversion was not initially accepted by the general population. In fact, the primary opposition was led by his admirers, including Julian, a Mani leader, and Celestius, a Manichee theologian, two of his student disciples. The public sentiment somewhat changed in 388 when some of his intellectual peers accepted his Christian values. Subsequently, Augustine’s friends, rivals, and students all embraced Christianity as the ordinary people had done.
In 391, Augustine was ordained as a priest in Hippo and eventually presided as Bishop. He used his position to alleviate the uprising of Donatism, an ascetic sect within the Church, and held firm in his efforts to protect the Church from these sects. In the ensuing years, Augustine dedicated his life to the Church and continued to write, becoming increasingly effectual in advancing the Church’s power and Gospel.
Augustine’s Theology
Augustine’s conversions and subsequent activities were in large part directed by his own philosophy and personal observations. He deprecated human free will and instead revered divine grace as the organizing tenet of salvation. While belief in divine grace is fundamental to Christianity, Augustine’s emphasis was significant. This formative view of grace, present in his writings, was likely inspired by an encounter in Rome with an old man, dethroned and in want, who asserted that, “to God nothing is far away.” His theology revolved around the notion of completely trusting God and utilising one’s own reason to understand the divine will and God’s action on earth.
Augustine further highlighted the importance of the Promises of Jesus in his spiritual journey. He believed that Jesus’ message reduced mental anguish and hunger, and enriched people’s lives through the saving grace of the Lord. His political and theological works served as a bridge between classic texts and subsequent Christian doctrine. Christian scholars have long appreciated Augustine’s contributions to the early Church and the development of Christian thought. He is widely considered the “Church father” by the Catholic Church.
Augustine’s Influence over Subsequent Generations
Giving credit where credit is due, many subsequent theologians have built upon Augustine’s teachings and considered them essential in the articulation of religious, cultural, and political ideas. Particularly, the Reformation era protagonists such as Martin Luther and Jean Calvin heavily incorporated Augustine’s theology in their teachings and writings. As a result, they employed Augustine’s methods and arguments to develop the emerging Christian belief system in the 16th century.
Contemporary theologians and scholars have further championed Augustine. They have generally championed his advocacy of rationality, reason, and philosophy in his pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and his defence of the Christian faith against pagans and heretical sects at the time. Contemporary perspectives on Augustine also appreciate his emphasis on a life of service and charitable acts as a means of salvation; his writings, Confessions and City of God, serve as key references for a reflective and informed life.
St Augustine’s Lasting Impact
Augustine is regarded as the most influential figure in the Western Church prior to the Reformation. His theological impact was immediate and has been lasting, due to his influence on subsequent generations. He encouraged classical education, scholarship, and intellectual reflection, paving the way for a more intellectual Christian faith and creating a bridge between the ancient and medieval world. His life story and teachings inspired the conversion of countless other followers of the faith.
Augustine’s impact is still felt today. He has been instrumental in the formulation of Christian thought with regards to faith, reason, and intellect, likely inspired by his religious experiences, personal struggles, and ongoing reflections. His philosophy deeply seated a renewal of Christian faith and influenced the comprehension of theology, scriptural exegesis, and political thought for many generations. The legacy of St Augustine is particularly felt in jazz, classical, and popular music, as many musicians have composed works heavily inspired by his life story and teachings. Despite being a figure from a bygone era, his contributions to society continue to be felt to this day.
