Augustine's Confessions

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|Early and Medieval Church History | |The Struggle for Freedom | |A closer look at St. Augustine’s Confessions Books VIII & IX | |10/14/2010 | Considered by many to be one of the preeminent writers on Christianity, during the Middle Ages, Saint Augustine of Hippo has left us numerous works, which are still relevant and studied today—well over 1600 years later. His book Confessions is believed to have been written between 397 and 400AD and chronicles his life of Christian conversion. We will take a closer look at Books VIII and IX. Whereas, I believe there are numerous themes, which can be examined; I will limit my scope and explore some of the overarching themes that pervade both books. I will also provide my own thoughts on how those themes, if applicable, are relevant to Christians in a modern era. Book viii While I did recognize several thematic threads woven into Book VIII—inspiration, deliverance, garden motifs—I will spend my time in Book VIII analyzing Augustine’s struggle. Born to a pagan father of Roman roots, and a “devoutly Christian mother[1]” Augustine’s entrance into the world seems to be fraught with tension and struggle. Amongst the opening lines of Book VIII he laments not for more certainty as it pertains to God but, “to be more stable[2]” in God. Here Augustine clearly demonstrates that he knows God and is certain that God exists, but what he is struggling with is how to serve God. Augustine goes on to say that; he was attracted to the Savior, “but was still reluctant to go along its

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