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Name:
Augustine of Hippo
Dates:
Born: 354
Died: 430
Bishop of Hippo: 395
Feast Day: August 28
Biography:
Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was one of the key church fathers who lead in the
development of Christian theology. His early years were checkered, something he
himself admits to in his seminal work Confessions (400), but after flirting
with Manicheism he eventually converted to Christianity, the faith of his mother. In
North Africa he founded a small monastic community and he was later elected Bishop of
Hippo (at the time, the people still had some say in who would lead their religious
community).
One of the things Augustine is most widely known for is his development of the doctrine of original sin, in opposition to the more optimistic doctrine Pelagianism. Unlike the British cleric Pelagius, Augustine believed that humans were sinful creatures by their very nature and were incapable of living a sinless life not matter how hard they tried.
The reason was the concept of an "original" sin, already mentioned by Paul. According to Augustine, each human inherits the stain of the original sin of Adam, committed when he disobeyed God. This inheritance is achieved through the act of sexual intercourse, which always occurs in the context of sinful lust.
Select Quotes:
Often a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other parts of the world, about the motions and orbits of the stars and even their sizes and distances,... and this knowledge he holds with certainty from reason and experience. It is thus offensive and disgraceful for an unbeliever to hear a Christian talk nonsense about such things, claiming that what he is saying is based in Scripture. We should do all that we can to avoid such an embarrassing situation, which people see as ignorance in the Christian and laugh to scorn. [De Genesi ad litteram libri duodecim (The Literal Meaning of Genesis)]
I feel that nothing so casts down the manly mind from it's height as the fondling of women and those bodily contacts which belong to the married state. [De Trinitate 7.7]
It is indeed better (as no one ever could deny) that men should be led to worship God by teaching, than that they should be driven to it by fear of punishment or pain; but it does not follow that because the former course produces the better men, therefore those who do not yield to it should be neglected. For many have found advantage (as we have proved, and are daily proving by actual experiment), in being first compelled by fear or pain, so that they might afterwards be influenced by teaching, or might follow out in act what they had already learned in word. [Treatise on the Correction of the Donatists (417)]
This then is not God, if thou has comprehended it; but if this be God, thou hast not comprehended it. [Sermo LII]
It is impossible that there should be inhabitants on the opposite side of the Earth, since no such race is recorded by Scripture among the descendants of Adam. [quoted from The Dark Side of Christian History by Linda Ellerbe]
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
