St. Augustine A Man of Great Genius Essay - 1778 Words

Throughout the ages, there have been countless influences on not only social and political life, but on religious character and prevalence as well. Aurelius Augustine, who would eventually rise to the position of bishop in the early Catholic Church, was one of the most interesting characters that would surely leave his mark on the Roman Empire, especially in the few decades before the western part of the empire was to be taken over by Germanic tribes from the North. Perhaps, his most influential characteristic that history still records today, was his striking tenacity to preserve the Christian religion as it was ‘supposed’ to be and to spread that influence to all who walked the earth. This, of course, is only a small fraction of the†¦show more content†¦This work, one of his greatest, along with De doctrina Christiana (AD 426) and De civitate Dei (AD 426), would spell out his intentions for the Catholic faith in the 5th Century and how it should be practice d. In The Confessions, as it is translated from the Latin, he attributes his whole journey toward the Christian faith to a struggle through many philosophies and teachings, which he would take up and then constantly reject. This would seem to be the pattern of Augustine as he practiced, for some time, everything from Manichaeism to Neoplatonism. He could not seem to grasp the fullness of their teachings and eventually and always found a fault that would not allow him for continuation of the particular faith. But, it would be his boyish ways which would set him upon this path in the first place. Firstly, one must observe and discuss Augustine’s formative years, especially in the ever- changing empire of Rome, with its countless influences from near and far, especially dealing with the occult and religion. Philip Woollcott, Jr. describes Augustine, in his younger days, as somewhat â€Å"stormy†, as he labels him with a certain â€Å"drive toward licentiousness and a growing sense of religious identity† all at the same time (1966, 274). It was this Augustine who was confused, and such a bewildered being that wouldShow MoreRelatedThe Life And Work Of St. Augustine2850 Words   |  12 PagesAurelius Augustinus, better known as St. Augustine of Hippo, was an African who is credited for being a founding father of church doctrine and innovator or pioneer of sorts, for Western Christianity. He was a legend before his time and possessed knowledge of The Word of God that far surpassed even today’s modern theologians. In this essay we will look at the life and work of St. Augustine of Hippo’s. First, starting with his lifespan will focus on his family, education and conversion experience.Read MorePolitics And City Of God : Issues And Medieval Political Thought Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pagesthis paper we have attempted to show the significance of St. Augustine’s thought on the problems of politics as contained in his famou s work The City of God. We established that his theoretical enterprise on politics and State based as it were on the theory of the two cities, the earthly city and the heavenly city is that of necessity. In arriving at this conclusion, the paper shows that there is logical and consistent correlation between St. Augustine’s conception of the nature of the universe onRead MoreRay Charles2786 Words   |  12 PagesRay Charles The Life and Legacy of a Genius Ray Charles was a revolutionary pianist and a soul singer who helped shape the sound of rhythm and blues. He brought a soulful sound to everything from country music to pop standards to God Bless America. 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The immediate practical importance of each of his utterances for the particular moment in which they are made is always so great as to blind some people to the fact that, in the last resort, he is only so effective in practice because of his greatness, profundity and fertility as a theoretician. His effectiveness rests on the fact that he has developed the practical essenc eRead MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages................................................. 31 Lord of the Flies, by William Golding (Murderous schoolboys stranded on an island!) ......................... 33 The Great Gatsby, by F. 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