Aurelius Augustine, usually known just by his last name, was born in Tagaste, a town in what is now Algeria. His mother, Monica, was a devout Christian, but his father was a pagan, although he did accept Christian baptism on his deathbed. Augustine gave early evidence of scholastic ability, and his father paid for him to pursue education in Carthage, hoping that he would have a brilliant career as a rhetorician. While in Carthage, Augustine formed a romantic attachment to a young woman whose name he never mentions. They lived together for nearly 10 years and had a son together, named Adeodatus, to whom he was very close. Adeodatus died while still a teenager, and his loss was one of the great grief’s of Augustine’s life.

While he was a university student and for some years thereafter, Augustine experimented with various philosophical systems and pagan religions. When he was 30, he accepted a teaching post in Milan, where he encountered Ambrose, who was bishop of Milan and a noted preacher. Since he taught rhetoric, Augustine took a professional interest in hearing Ambrose preach, but he was soon captivated by the content of Ambrose’s message more than his skill at presenting it. He began to study the epistles of Paul, but still he resisted conversion. Much of his reluctance stemmed from his conviction that if he were to embrace Christianity he would have to give up his long-time lover and live a chaste life. His famous prayer was, "Grant me chastity and self-control, but please not yet." [Conf. VIII.7.17] He describes himself at this stage of his life as being like a person sleeping who keeps ignoring the friend who tries to wake him, saying, "Let me sleep just a little longer."

One day, Augustine was in the garden of his house along with his friend Alypius, studying one of Paul’s epistles. He was in despair over his current life, with all its impurity. In his Confessions, he summarizes his state of mind at the time:

Suddenly, he heard what sounded like a child’s voice, chanting, "Take up and read. Take up and read." The Bible he had recently been studying was lying near by. Augustine took it and read: "Not in dissipation and drunkenness, nor in debauchery and lewdness, nor in arguing and jealousy; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh or the gratification of your desires." (Rom. viii. 13, 14). He says:

He and his son, Adeodatus, and his friend Alypius were all baptized at Easter in the year 387.

Augustine wanted to live a quiet life of contemplation and study with a group of Christian friends, but on a visit to the Algerian town of Hippos he was pressed into service as a minister. He eventually became bishop of Hippo, an office he still held when he died.

Prayer of Augustine:

Lord, let my whole heart be inflamed with love for you; let nothing in me belong to me and let me have no thought for myself; let me burn and be wholly consumed in you; let me love you with my whole being as one set on fire by you.

Bibliography:

Works by Augustine:Augustine was a prolific writer. He wrote commentaries on many books of the Bible and many sermons, in addition to doctrinal works aimed at heresies he saw in his parish. Some of his most significant theological works include The City of God and The Trinity. One of his most famous and accessible works is The Confessions, from which the autobiographical quotes above were taken. The new translation by Maria Boulding is especially readable.

Works about Augustine: Many people have written extensively about Augustine. Two fairly recent, accessible introductions to his life and thought are:

Henry Chadwick, Augustine (Oxford University Press1986, 1996 reissue)

Gary Wills, Saint Augustine (Penguine, 1999)

Links:

James O’Donnell at U.Penn. maintains a very thorough homepage about Augustine: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/augustine.html

Here’s a page of paintings and images of Augustine, including the one shown above. Note how few of these portray him as looking at all Algerian or north African. http://www.augustinus.it/iconografia/index.htm

Here's a couple of articles on Augustine's thought and how to read him: http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll/showarticle?item_id=74

http://www.religion-online.org/cgi-bin/relsearchd.dll/showarticle?item_id=65