Worldly Ambition and Dissatisfaction: St. Augustine, Part 4

Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) was a gifted rhetorician and after teaching in his hometown of Thagaste for some time, he opened a school in Carthage. But Carthage’s unruly students and a personal hope for greater success elsewhere soon motivated Augustine to leave for Rome. In moving to the Eternal City, Augustine believed that a man of his ability could aspire to greatness and possibly reach the upper echelon of Rome’s power structure.

Exploring Manichaeism: St. Augustine, Part 3

In his search for an alternative to catholic Christianity, Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) turned to a religious sect known as Manichaeism, which promised to synthesize Christ’s “true” teachings with classical wisdom. The Manichees¹ followed the teaching of Mani (AD 216–277), a Persian religious leader who was crucified for claiming to be the Paraclete and restorer of the true teaching of Christ. An odd blend of materialism and dualism, Manichaeism taught that the world was dominated by two co-eternal and opposed principles, one benevolent (Ormuzd: “light”), and one malevolent (Ahriman: “darkness”). These two “realities” were responsible for bringing eternal strife and conflict to the world. Like the Gnostics, the Manichees believed that Christ was solely spiritual, had no material body, and did not actually die on the cross. The Manichees strongly opposed catholic Christianity.

Wayward Youth in a Pagan Empire: St. Augustine, Part 2

Named for two Roman Emperors, Aurelius Augustinus was born November 13 AD 354, in Thagaste, a small Roman province of Numidia in North Africa (present day Algeria). His family was what might be called a lower middle-class. His father, Patricius, was a small-landowner with pagan beliefs who seemed to care more about his son’s education than his character.

The Last and Greatest Church Father: St. Augustine, Part 1

During the past two millennia, Christianity has produced many prominent thinkers, but Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) could be considered the most influential outside of the New Testament. His significant impact, especially on Western Christianity, is tied directly to his profound work as a theologian, philosopher, apologist, and church bishop.