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This is an outstanding new examination of St. Augustine's political philosophy and of its bearing upon the roots of Western civilization. In this book Miles Hollingworth investigates how Augustine's understanding of discipleship causes him to resist the normal tendencies of Western political thinkers. On the one hand he does not attempt to delineate an ideal state in the classical fashion: to his mind, 'The Garden of Eden' can be an archetype for nothing on earth. And on the other, he does not seek to achieve an ideological perspective on the proper relations between Church and State. In fact his "Pilgrim City" is shown to lie beyond utopianism, realism and the normal terms of political discourse. It stands, instead, as a singular challenge to the aspirations of politics in the West; and so standing it calls for a reassessment of his position in the history of political thought. This book will be of interest to theologians as well as historians of political thought. It will also appeal to anyone with an interest in the history of ideas. ... Read more

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Augustinus (354–430 CE), son of a pagan, Patricius of Tagaste in North Africa, and his Christian wife Monica, while studying in Africa to become a rhetorician, plunged into a turmoil of philosophical and psychological doubts in search of truth, joining for a time the Manichaean society. He became a teacher of grammar at Tagaste, and lived much under the influence of his mother and his friend Alypius. About 383 he went to Rome and soon after to Milan as a teacher of rhetoric, being now attracted by the philosophy of the Sceptics and of the Neo-Platonists. His studies of Paul's letters with Alypius and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose led in 386 to his rejection of all sensual habits and to his famous conversion from mixed beliefs to Christianity. He returned to Tagaste and there founded a religious community. In 395 or 396 he became Bishop of Hippo, and was henceforth engrossed with duties, writing and controversy. He died at Hippo during the successful siege by the Vandals.

From Augustine's large output the Loeb Classical Library offers that great autobiography the Confessions (in two volumes); On the City of God (seven volumes), which unfolds God's action in the progress of the world's history, and propounds the superiority of Christian beliefs over pagan in adversity; and a selection of Letters which are important for the study of ecclesiastical history and Augustine's relations with other theologians.

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The Confessions of St. Augustine, a passionate, deeply honest autobiographical account of Augustine's journey toward faith, has been a source of spiritual guidance and intellectual nourishment for millions of people throught the centuries. While Augustine is regarded as one of Christianity's greatest theologians, the enduring and universal appeal of the Confessions is undoubtedly in Augustine's humanity--in his fervent examinations of his own struggles, conflicts, and temptations, and in his intensely personal quest for God. This modern edition of the Confessions will offer a profound source of spiritual enlightenment to today's reader. ... Read more

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As a major statement of Augustine's thought, in which he develops his philosophy of mind, On the Trinity had a considerable influence on medieval philosophy, and continues to interest philosophers today. This edition presents it together with a philosophical and historical introduction by Gareth Matthews, and useful notes on further reading. ... Read more

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The Final Augustine
Rarely do we have the chance to enter the mind of a great man at the end of his life, but Augustine in The Retractions, better translated as The Revisions, provides us just that. The three chief controversies and disputes within which Augustine was engaged over his lifetime were the Manichean, the Donatist and the Pelagian. Having been forced to speak in a certain way against the Manicheans earlier in his career as a Christian and bishop he was later to speak somewhat differently while engaging the Pelagians. The Revisions offer us a clear view as to what Augustine thought in light of both those controversies. Not only that but Augustine reviews his many works, starting with his earliest and then going through to the latest making comments and slight corrections or qualifications. Regarding the fanatical branch of Donatism that repeatedly sought to assasinate him, for instance, he regrets later in life that he did not do more earlier to see them crushed for their lawlessnes. This is a necessary read for anyone who is serious about Augustine as he reveals himself in his later years. ... Read more

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Late Have I Loved Thee is the first collection of Saint Augustine's varied writings on human and divine love, chosen to reflect his lifelong preoccupation with ordo amoris, the principle of rightly directed love. "My weight is my love," he writes in The Confessions. He sees our ability to love as disordered by sin, so that we often choose badly what and how to love. Only by recognizing that we are commanded to love God first can any other object of our love be properly ordered, Late Have I Loved Thee draws on the riches found in Augustine's sermons, letters, treatises, and Scripture commentaries, as well as passages from The Confessions and City of God.

Augustine (354-430 A.D.) was the most prolific writer of Christian antiquity and the most influential theologian in Church history. In hisfirst encyclical, God Is Love, current Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges his indebtedness to him. When we read Augustine today, we encounter the same direct, eloquent passions his original listeners experienced, infused with his deep sense of human weakness and burning desire for union with God. ... Read more

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Library of Liberal Arts title. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

On Free Choice of the the Will
I received my order on time and in perfect condition. I would definately buy from this seller again.

Truth Defined
Aa far as I have discovered, this is the eighth English translation of this work. It is the most modern and readable. The others are out of print. It is not a fast read. Augustine often backs up five steps to make a point as solid as possible. In such a small book, only a limited number of the ramifications of the issue of free will can be well covered.
Although the main topic of the book is man's Will, which Augustine addresses effectively [another reviewer's comment that only Adam&Eve had full Free will is of paramount relevance to this problem], the real gem in this book is to be found in Book 2: the nature of Truth.
I guess I should not be surprised that no reviewer has commented on it here. None of the eight editors of the eight versions since 1929 of this work makes a significant comment on this most important of topics. Throughout history only a handful of people have commented on the topic: Anselm, Grosseteste, Aquinas, Malebranche, Nash. Please visit [...] to see the results of my research on this topic.

In Book Two, spread out over many paragraphs, is Augustine's Definition of the word 'Truth'. It is the earliest and best formulated definition of 'Truth' in all of literature. There are hints in the Hermetic writings and earlier church fathers that show that Augustine possibly had some help in his formulation. But in spite of the fact that he depends upon the erroneous Platonic ideas that numbers and geometric shapes are eternal, his definition is unsurpassed but sadly overlooked.
Buy this book and read only Book 2, and see a masterpiece of philosophy.

Complex and thought provoking read
Excellent work on the "problem of evil" in religion. For serious intellectual philosophical thinkers only. Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with Augustine's premise, you will certainly appreciate the depth in which he addresses an issue that the world's most prolific religions readily ignore.

God is all, knows all, and created all; and God can and does only create good; so why is there bad/wickedness/evil?To understand this, one must understand choice and will, which Augustine elaborates on.What I took from this is that the use of the will to choose to do something, say something, etc. that hurts another in ANY way is counter to God's divine plan and is therefore evil.Anything, or anyone is good and can be USED for an evil end.So it is not necessarily that the person is evil, but that the result of a choice is evil.That is sin and this is also why people can be forgiven and work towards not sinning, using their will, by the grace of God, to choose to do right.

Very interesting, very philosophical
The book is written as an interview by a young student asking Augustine the questions of life, happiness, numbers, sin, and the will. A bit confusing at times for a dummy like me, but very enlightening nonetheless!

Augustine
The book is fine, but the pages were bound in such a way that the first time I turn each page, it falls out of the binding. It's still readable and everything... it's just a huge hassle to keep everything together. ... Read more

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Greak book!
As someone who is tremendously interested in the various modes of Christian spirituality, I found this book to be better than I could have asked for.It is well authored and has information that is useful to boththose who are just becoming interested in the subject, or for someone whohas had more experience.It is a very easy read and has excellent content. It is a great addition to any theological librairy. ... Read more

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Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom infinite.   And Thee would man praise; man, but a particle of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that Thou resistest the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation. ... Read more

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Augustine of Hippo (354-430), theologian, priest and bishop, is one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. He is known as much for his long interior struggle that ended with conversion and baptism at age thirty-two as for his influential teachings on human will, original sin and the theology of just war. Cherished as a model for the pursuit of a life of spiritual grace and criticized for his theory of predestination, Augustine is recognized as a living expression of the passion to understand and communicate the deeper meanings of human experience.
With fresh translations drawn from Augustine's voluminous writings and probing facing-page commentary,Augustinian scholar Joseph T. Kelley, PhD, provides insight into the mind and heart of this foundational Christian figure. Kelley illustrates how Augustine's keen intellect, rhetorical skill and passionate faith reshaped the theological language and dogmatic debates of early Christianity. He explores the stormy religious arguments and political upheavals of the fifth century, Augustine's controversial teachings on predestination, sexuality and marriage, and the deep undercurrents of Augustine's spiritual quest that still inspire Christians today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An invitation to follow Augustine's journey
I have been studying the thought and work of St. Augustine since 1997, doing so both for personal interest and for academic research, and have thus read much of what has been published on this topic so far. This, of course, makes me anything but a newbie, and I have always felt quite blasé, when hearing of introductory texts to my favorite topic, thinking myself well past that level.

Dr. Kelley's work, though, has proven me wrong, and has taught me new ways to look at this great African Roman philosopher, theologian and Saint. The book is organized in four sections, each dedicated to a theme from Augustine's work - Faith, Grace, God and the World - and each of these sections presents a selection of writings from Augustine himself, accompanied by short explanatory notes by Dr. Kelley.The notes are themselves very useful, as they offer, in very accessible language, a clarification of Augustine's thought. Where necessary, a short background information is also provided. What I like about these annotations is that they are not found at the bottom of the page opr at the end of the chapter in minuscule case, as it is customary in scholarly studies - these annotations are found, instead, in regular-size font on each even numbered page of every chapter, while the text by Augustine occupies the opposite page, thus making the text easier to follow and understand. A more important aspect of Dr. Kelley's annotations is the fact that they offer short, comprehensive and above all clear explanations on very difficult topics, and they do so in a language that can be easily comprehended even by the non-initiate. This choice of register and language also draws Augustine's work closer to every man's experience in today's world. To me, lost as I am in the intricacies of academic discourse, this "translation" of his thought opened new perspectives on understanding Augustine. The Author's invitation to discuss with Augustine, and to oppose him when disagreement arises, is another point that I loved, and it thoroughly reflects Augustine's perspective.

In his book, Dr. Kelley has drawn an itinerary that follows Augustine's footprints from his early state of psychological and spiritual dispersion, through his quest for Faith and his finding Grace as a free gift from God, which led him to finding God. The fourth section, though, underlines another important principle in Augustine's philosophy,that finding God takes one back to the beginning, back into the world - but one's view of and relationship with the world have been changed by the journey of Faith.

Dr. Kelley's words challenge the reader to follow Augustine's life journey. In more than a way, this turns reading into a journey of discovery and meditation. One more thing Augustine would have applauded.

A fine addition to any theology discussion
Faith is not something you're born with; faith is something you find. "Saint Augustine of Hippo: Selections from Confessions and Other Essential Writings" delves into Augustine of Hippo, a man who was known for his inner conflict and life until he adopted Christianity and was baptized at age 32, and his writings show a unique view of the world that knows life outside Christianity while discussing what Christian life should be. "Saint Augustine of Hippo" is a fine addition to any theology discussion. ... Read more

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This is an electronic edition of the complete essays complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every book, part, chapter and footnote. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Christian Classic
Works of Augustine of Hippo: On Christian Doctrine, The Confessions of Saint Augustine & The City of God. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

St. Augustine is one of the greatest thinkers the West ever produced. This ebook is a must read for anyone serious about his own spirituality. ... Read more

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Augustine of Hippo is considered the most influential theologian in the history of the Church in the West. Augustine developed a sexual ethic that became decisive for later teachings on issues of marriage, reproduction and sexuality. Some of the most significant passages are reproduced here. ... Read more