A review by steveatwaywords
Confessions by Saint Augustine
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Far be it for me to engage Saint Augustine on his writing prowess. Instead, I can discuss a bit about the reader experience of encountering this text, one that I have spent much of my life maneuvering about via summaries and commentary; it was great to finally meet the text itself.
First, I recommend reading this work with a guide or contextual assistance. While it is tough going without time and concentration, the reading itself (at least in my Chadwick translation) was not overly difficult. What made the work richer for me was understanding Christian thought at the time, what Augustine's circumstances were (both personally and globally), and to what debates might he be responding to. This helped me better understand why he focused on the details he did and why he argued in ways that (to today's readers) seem sometimes illogical or obtuse. I listened to Doug Metzger's two lengthy episodes on the work on his Literature and History podcast, which I recommend. (literatureandhistory.com)
The reading itself was what many write of: the first portion of memoir where he writes of his teachers, teen exploits, and family. This was very approachable and interesting--Augustine shows a vulnerability and candor which might surprise. The second portion, however, is more a philosophical reverie on time, creation, memory, and the role of the church. He points out that the entirety of the first section (his life) is meant as an example for readers to consider in order to better appreciate this more important philosophizing. True, he makes interesting arguments against Manicheanism and NeoPlatonism, but once again, I would never have appreciated these points without some guidance on their roles in the 4th century.
In the end, Augustine produces some of the most influential arguments and theological thinking of all Christian history. While the Confessions is lengthy for what it does (part of his style of frequent praise and repetition), it is more than worthy of our time as we attempt to answer questions of faith and religious history.
First, I recommend reading this work with a guide or contextual assistance. While it is tough going without time and concentration, the reading itself (at least in my Chadwick translation) was not overly difficult. What made the work richer for me was understanding Christian thought at the time, what Augustine's circumstances were (both personally and globally), and to what debates might he be responding to. This helped me better understand why he focused on the details he did and why he argued in ways that (to today's readers) seem sometimes illogical or obtuse. I listened to Doug Metzger's two lengthy episodes on the work on his Literature and History podcast, which I recommend. (literatureandhistory.com)
The reading itself was what many write of: the first portion of memoir where he writes of his teachers, teen exploits, and family. This was very approachable and interesting--Augustine shows a vulnerability and candor which might surprise. The second portion, however, is more a philosophical reverie on time, creation, memory, and the role of the church. He points out that the entirety of the first section (his life) is meant as an example for readers to consider in order to better appreciate this more important philosophizing. True, he makes interesting arguments against Manicheanism and NeoPlatonism, but once again, I would never have appreciated these points without some guidance on their roles in the 4th century.
In the end, Augustine produces some of the most influential arguments and theological thinking of all Christian history. While the Confessions is lengthy for what it does (part of his style of frequent praise and repetition), it is more than worthy of our time as we attempt to answer questions of faith and religious history.