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Joffrey M. Ocat
1
Autobiography here is not confined to the idea of Augustine’s chronology from birth until death. In fact, this
autobiographical book does not speak of death. It only tackles the author’s life from birth to baptism. Rather, the
book is being considered as an autobiographical book because of the theme that is implicitly yet carefully carried out
throughout the book. The alpha and omega of the book is a narration and exposition of the theme on conversion;
present conversion, continual conversion and the fulfillment of conversion in the Scriptures.
life is tackled in chapters’ four to seven. The fourth chapter depicts the tearful Augustine in
embracing a ‘new’ life, that is, priesthood. With the great experiences he accumulated while
living together with his friends, he founded a monastery together with fellow God’s servants.
The monastery has its proviso: “all things should be in common.” Nonetheless, this new divine
office that he has enables him to meet an old friend, a Manichee2, named Fortunatus. Because of
the request of the concern citizens3, Augustine debates with the Manichee for “a day and ended
the next”. Augustine proliferates and defenses the Faith through his superb aptitude in rhetoric
and writing. Because of his expectedly outstanding deeds, he is elevated after five years as a
coadjutor bishop of Hippo. Later on, Augustine becomes the bishop of Hippo. By the time he
becomes a bishop, he starts also his work against Donatism4, Pelagianism5, and Arianism6.
The second part of the book is Possidius’ enumeration of the daily works of Bishop
Augustine. He becomes a judge in disputes. But he states it by himself that to do it to friends is
very hard because he might lost a friend but easier if he does not know the involve persons. He
also deals with civil authorities and attends councils and ordains priests. Furthermore, Possidius
also shows that, albeit Augustine’s powerful seat, the latter still lives a life of simplicity and
charity. He is very much concern with the poor people moving him to share what his community
has. Being the leader, he administers the Church properties. Because he is living in a
“community” together with other clerics, and it is inevitable to have some misunderstandings,
Augustine stresses the importance of forgiveness. Thus, as the leader, he has a paternal authority,
who meddles in the place of hatred between individuals. Augustine also highlights chastity. As a
“public servant”, that is, a servant of everybody, he makes sure that their house is a no-woman
house. This is a way of safeguarding their purity. And Augustine also visits the orphans and
widows in need, and monasteries of women only if his presence is already a matter of life and
death.
In the last part of the book, Possidius conveys the last few years of Augustine. These are
years of Augustine’s revisions of his works. During this time, the old venerable Augustine is
already acquiring illness. However, even up to his last years or even his last breathe on this earth,
2
A follower of Mani, the founder of a heretic sect called Manichaeism, who insists with his belief on the two
absolute opposites, good and evil.
3
Catholics and Donatists
4
It is a schismatic sect from the Catholic Church founded by either of the two great Donatuses in the first half
of fourth century: Donatus, Bishop of Casae Nigrae or Donatus, Bishop of Carthage. This sect believes of rebaptism.
5
Its founder is Pelagius, a Breton Monk, who rejected the necessity of God’s grace.
6
It is a heresy started by Arius that claimed Jesus Christ to be inferior to God the Father.
he still remains humble and trusts God. Even if Augustine has numerous august achievements, he
still walks with his feet on the ground. And even up to his ‘last breath 7’ during the Vandals
invasion in Hippo, he does not stop taking care God’s flock, and he never lose hope, and trust
that God will grant him eternal life.
11
I am using Garry Wills’ version of the Confessiones.
12
This is a chiastic form of presentation.
13
I will not present them here because they might occupy a whole page. And in such case, I will exceed the
required pages.
14
Of course, the religious milieu is already included here.
15
A commentary on Saint Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.
book on this entitled Deception16. In connection with this, Garry does not get tired of citing the
works of Augustine even up to the last page.17 In fact he ended with a citation from the Sermons
of Augustine.
16
However, this work is known by many as On Lying. Garry uses other titles of some books of Augustine that
he cited in the biography.
17
This aspect of the book is in resemblance to the book of Possidius. Their works are being rained by
citations from the works of Augustine. And this is just the right to do when one is making a biography of a person.
No one can be a better source of information than the person, in this case Augustine, himself.