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Aurelius Augustine [more commonly called “St. Augustine of Hippo”], Christian Neoplatonist, North African Bishop, Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church, was born in Tagaste (modern Souk Ahras, Algeria) in 354 and died almost seventy-six years later in Hippo Regius on the Mediterranean coast sixty miles away. One of the decisive developments in the western philosophical tradition was the eventually widespread merging of the Greek philosophical tradition and the Judeo-Christian religious and scriptural traditions. Augustine stands as a giant among men in the development of this monumental feat. In the years between his birth and demise he lived out a career that many view to have bridged the gap between ancient pagan Rome and the Christian middle ages. He was one of the most prolific geniuses that humanity has ever known which traverse the realm of thought. Whereas a thorough treatise on this man of renown is impossible we will settle with the following: a synopsis on his early life will serve as an introduction of this great sage; secondly, the doctrinal development of the philosopher to the time of his episcopate; and thirdly, his activities while sitting upon the Episcopal throne of Hippo. After having done so, the writer will consider this treatise a success, if the reader is caused to develop a greater awareness and appreciation for Augustine’s work. As has been mentioned Augustine was from Tagaste, a small free city of proconsular Numidia which had recently been converted from Donatism. Although held in high regard, his family was not of the affluent, and his father, Patricius, one of the curiales of the city, was still a pagan. However, later in years his wife, Monica, was one of the main influences that caused him to turn from the futility of paganism to a life lived with a Godly influence. Monica was most certainly the one who provided the family, including Augustine, with a sense of respect towards its Creator. His family life being somewhat marred by his mother’s belief in and allegiance to God and his father’s pagan and often promiscuous lifestyle left him, to say the least, confused. At a very young age he left home to receive an education that would lead him ultimately to a recognition of and faithfulness to God (in an ecumenical sense). At twelve the boy was sent to school at Maduara, and at seventeen higher studies at Carthage. Inspired by the philosophical treatise Hortensius, by the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero, Augustine became an earnest seeker of truth. Due to his mother’s urging he considered becoming a Christian, but experimented with several philosophical systems before finding “Christianity.” From 373 to 382 he came under the influence of a relatively knew religion, Manichaeism. The Manichaeans were followers of a Persian prophet named Manes who had been martyred by the Romans. Augustine was attracted to them for some time (9 years) because they seemed intellectual and offered answers to life’s ultimate questions that seemed to the young student superior to Christianity’s or traditional paganism’s answers. For instance, the Manichaeans believed in two eternal and equally powerful forces of good and evil locked in endless combat. Like Gnostics they attributed evil to matter—the creation of the evil principle—and good to spirit created by the good God of heaven. This seemed to solve the riddle of evil. But eventually Augustine became disillusioned with this dualistic theology and spirituality and opted out of Manichaeism for skepticism. While in North Africa he proved to be a good student in Latin, rhetoric, mathematics, music, and philosophy. He disliked Greek and thus never mastered it. After graduation he taught grammar at Tagaste, and then rhetoric at Carthage.
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