In the medieval world of literature, a plethora of highly accredited philosophers whose texts bewilder even the most intelligent experts in the 21st century come to mind. The art of persuasion, also known as “rhetoric,” has been incorporated into a large portion of the writings in the medieval era, and has aided in the construction of the way humans live their lives to this day. This use of rhetoric is highly noticed in the ancient roman bishop Saint Augustine’s theological texts. Having been newly introduce to Christianity, Augustine is widely recognized for his addressing of religious issues in Rome during its collapse. Perhaps Augustine’s most famous depiction of his beliefs are represented in his work “City of God.” He uses a specific level …show more content…
Since entrance to the city of God can only occur after death, the prospects of this conversion to Christianity must take place in this life, or as Augustine describes it, “your eternal happiness will be a sore punishment.” In this quote is a threat to one’s eternal life after death is used as persuasive device to empower the audience to have faith in Christianity. Comparatively, this metaphysical treatise can be seen a pitch. Augustine is giving reason to make this conversion to Christianity, not because he wants money or fame, however, because he sees this as his duty to reassure the “[o] admiral roman race” that it is not this life that matters, but the conquest to be granted entrance to the “celestial country” that is the city of God. Augustine’s choice of vocabulary in this sense allows the reader to feel rewarded if the right decision is made, but gives way into a vivid confession of what is to behold once granted entrance. Augustine proclaims, “For there shall thou find no vestal fire, no Capitoline stone, but the one true God.” In further analysis, this line contains an array of emotions that bring assurance to the reader. This remarkable claim addresses the fear of burning in hell, loss of the Roman’s beloved empire, and the glory of standing before God. This overflow of pathos uncovers the literary mastery in which Augustine still receives credit for to this
When reading The Sermon on the Mount, it is important to note who the intended audience was, the crowds of people who were there to witness Jesus. These crowds of people most likely were not the most educated; however, Jesus attempted to educate them about the Word of God. To facilitate his teaching, Jesus employed rhetorical techniques such as the metaphor. This crowd required simple and relatable ideas to become educated on his teachings of the Word of God. Many of Jesus’s teachings during The Sermon on the Mount were symbolic in nature, and not meant obeyed explicitly; Jesus merely employed these rhetorical devices to help the followers understand the underlying message, which was to be obeyed.
St. Augustine considers his mother as a crucial factor in his conversion to Catholicism. However, through the analysis of his confessions, it leads me to believe that St. Augustine’s mother was not a decisive figure. Monica was in the background keeping him in thought and prayer, however Augustine’s watershed moments came as a result of his own examination of readings as well as his conversations with his friends and mentors. Therefore, I argue that Monica had delayed Augustine’s baptism and it was his own experiences that allowed him to come to God. Baptizing a baby at birth was a common practice during the time when Augustine was born.
Unlike other texts of the time, Augustine’s confessions are less of an epic tale or instructive texts, both of which soug...
The death leaves Augustine feeling lost and broken and he cries out “He has become a great problem to himself” (Page 57). This pivotal time in his life caused him to begin the journey back home, back to his Lord and Creator. He begins to meet with a man name Ambrose who convinces Augustine that the Bible may be more rational and valuable than he once thought. Under the mentorship of Ambrose Augustine begins to question his faith and return back to his Catholic
In St. Augustine’s book entitled Political Writings, one could see that Christianity plays a very important role in his view of politics. His opinion on the morality or lack of morality in politics, to me makes it more evident that Christianity persuades his views. Although it seems his writings have become quite well known and admired, not everyone fully shared his beliefs. Niccolo Machiavelli, for instance, seemed to believe in a government that was not driven by morality, but more by practicality. In, The Prince, Machiavelli stresses that the moral fibers of government should not be so soft. Like St. Augustine, his work went on to become one of the most famous books ever written about politics. Throughout the two works there are some similarities and differences regarding politics, however it their view of Christianity and morality that many find most intriguing.
The city, writes St. Augustine, “builds up a pilgrim community of every language .... [with] particular concern about differences of customs, laws, [and] institutions” in which “there is among the citizens a sort of coherence of human wills.”3 Put simply: the city is a sort of platform upon which “a group of people joined together by their love of the same object” work towards a common goal.4 What differentiates Augustine’s examination from other literary or theological treatments of the city is his attempt to carve out a vision of how the city operates—both the internal qualities and external ...
Augustine is fixated upon the idea of evil and its origins in Christian theology. He struggles to come to terms with the doctrine of sin. A popular counterargument to the belief in God is that a good, kind, and loving divine power would never command the wholesale slaughter of nations. According to Christian belief, God created everything, and everything He created is good because He Himself is righteous. Augustine claims that God pervades the entirety of the universe and all it contains. So, how can things outside of God, such as evil, even exist? He asks this in various forms of rhetorical questions, such as, “Where then is evil? What is its origin? How did it steal into the world?...Where then does evil come from, if God made all things
When people mention imperialism and colonies, images of fleets of early European ships and powdered wigs come to mind. But the reality is, imperialism is not a thing of the past. Jamacia Kincaid knows firsthand the effects a foreign occupation can have on the lives of those in a country under imperial control. Kindcaid’s home Antigua, a Caribbean island, was a British colony until it’s fairly recent independence in 1981. In her essay, she recalls what it was like growing up under English rule. Through her use of various rhetorical devices, she conveys her feelings of contempt and bitterness.
Saint Augustine’s Confessions are a diverse mix of autobiography, philosophy, and interpretation of the Christian Bible. The first nine Books of the work follow the story of Augustine 's life, from his birth (354 A.D.) up to the events that took place just after his conversion to Catholicism (386 A.D.). Born and raised in Thagaste, in eastern Algeria, he has one brother named Navigius, and two sisters. His father, Patricus, a small landowner and an official of the local government is still a pagan. Monica, his mother is a devout Christian. Augustine starts off by praising to God and that it is the natural desire of all men. Yet Augustine does not have a lot of knowledge about God because he felt that he was powerless for God to come to him
Augustine’s Confessions is a biographic of the life of St. Augustine. The biopic chronicles the life of Augustine as he tries to navigate his way through life and find his path as it relates to the Christian faith. Augustine discusses many of his struggles and issues while on the path to find himself and his place in God. One of the main issues he covers in his biopic are the struggles had with reconciling the existence of evil with the goodness of God. He struggled with this issue in particular due to his participation in the belief of Manicheanism. Manicheanism is a heretical version of Christianity, that was first introduced by the self-proclaimed prophet Mani. Augustine claims he fell victim to this belief system when he was at a vulnerable point in his journey and was seeking answers for certain question he has pertaining to faith. He fell into Manicheanism when he tried to look at the scriptures himself and interrupt them but to a rhetoric like himself the scriptures made no sense at the time, so he turned from them and to the well-worded faith of Manicheanism. Augustine considers that decision one of the biggest mistakes of his life, attributing his great difficulties in reconciling the existence of evil with God’s goodness to his belief in Manicheanism. In this paper I aim to explore the reason behind why Augustine felt his belief in Manicheanism was such a grave mistake. I also hope to explain how he tried to reconcile his issues concerning evil and God’s goodness, and if he was successful in this attempt. In order to do this we must first look deeper at Manicheanism to examine what the core values and beliefs of the faith are, so that we can understand why Augustine had such a hard time dealing with the issue of evil and...
Saint Augustine’s On Faith and the Creed breaks down the Apostles Creed and expresses the essence of the Christian faith. The 11 chapters within On Faith and The Creed express many truths of the faith. Chapter one explains the origin of the creed and object of its composition. The Apostles Creed is a sufficient summary of the faith for beginners and those who who are more diligent in their faith. Many heretics have tried to corrupt the interpretation of the Apostles Creed. Yet, since it is written according to the scripture, the Apostles Creed is based on complete truth. Chapter two expresses the fact that eternity is exclusive. Saint Augustine talks about how the Apostles Creed will not truly be understood or impact a person if they are not
Later, after much study and introspection, Augustine discovers that he has been mistaken in attributing a physical form to God. Yet, he still presses on to reconcile his mind to the true precepts of Christian ideology. But what does he...
Augustine. “Confessions”. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. 8th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. 1113-41. Print.
W. Andrew Hoffecker. Building a Christian World View, vol. 1: God, man, and Knowledge. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., Phillipsburg, New Jersey : 1986. William S. Babcock. The Ethics of St. Augustine: JRE Studies in Religion, no. 3.
Living in a period of important religious and cultural flux, John Milton's poetry reflects the many influences he found both in history and in the contemporary world. With a vast knowledge of literature from the classical world of Greek and Roman culture, Milton often looked back to more ancient times as a means of enriching his works. At other times, however, he relies on his strong Christian beliefs for creating spiritually compelling themes and deeply religious imagery. Despite the seemingly conflicting nature of these two polarized sources of inspiration, Milton somehow found a way of bridging the gap between a pagan and a Christian world, often weaving them together into one overpowering story. The pastoral elegy Lycidas, written after the death of a fellow student at Cambridge, exemplifies this mastery over ancient and contemporary traditions in its transition from a pagan to a Christian context. Opening the poem in a setting rich with mythological figures and scenery, then deliberately moving into a distinctly Christian setting, Milton touches upon two personally relevant issues: poetry and Christian redemption. In this way, Lycidas both addresses the subject of being a poet in a life doomed by death and at the same time shows the triumphant glory of a Christian life, one in which even the demise of the poet himself holds brighter promises of eternal heavenly joy.