Confessions (St. Augustine)

Confessions is the name of a series of thirteen books by St. Augustine of Hippo written between 397 and 398 AD. In modern times, the books are usually published as a single volume known as The Confessions of St. Augustine in order to distinguish the book from other books with similar titles such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confessions.

The book tells about his sinful youth and how he converted to Catholicism. It is the first autobiography ever published as well as being a significant theological work. A strong Platonic, and even Stoic influence is evident in this important work.

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Themes of the books

1. His infancy and boyhood up to age 15;
2. He falls amongst bad companions committing theft and succumbing to lust;
3. His studies at Carthage, his conversion to Manichaeism and continued indulgence in lust between 16 and 19;
4. Losing a friend and studies in Aristotle and the fit and the fair between 20 and 29;
5. Moving away from Manichaeism under the influence of St. Ambrose in Milan at 29;
6. Under the influence of St. Ambrose work, moves towards Catholicism at the age of 30;
7. Moving towards a greater understanding of God at the age of 31;
8. His conversion to Christianity at the age of 32 and receiving instruction by Simplicianus on how to convert others;
9. His baptism at 33, the death of his mother Monica and the death of his friends Nebridius and Vecundus, and his abandonment of his studies of rhetoric;
10. Continued reflections on the values of confessions;
11. Reflections on Genesis;
12. Continued reflections on the book of Genesis; and
13. Exploration of the meaning of Genesis and the Trinity

Links

• New Advent explanation of Confessions
• Electronic version of the Confessions of St Augustine
• Adventures of Confessions of St. Augustine Bear
• The Great Conversation Yahoo discussion group will be discussing Books I-VIII of Augustine's Confessions in the month of April, 2005.