HIST 370 A History of Christianity in Medieval Europe

St. Augustine, Confessions

Directions:  Read Books II; V-VIII.  These questions refer to Books II, V-VIII, but if you read more, you may certainly bring in other issues from your reading. You need to address/respond to all of the issues listed below. Length 4-5 pages.

Your source should be http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm

Click the link above, and you will find the Books, and when you click the books you will find the chapters.

1) What is important about the pear stealing incident in Book II that is so critical?

2) Who were the Manichees?  What did they believe, & what attracted Augustine to their teachings?  Later, why did he begin to question their views?

 3) What factors (people, teachings, experiences, etc.) begin to move Augustine toward Christian faith at the end of Book V & in Book VI? 

 4) What were the philosophical and/or theological issues that most perplexed Augustine in his youth & young manhood?  (Be ready to give specific examples or references.)

5) In Book VII Augustine acknowledges that he benefitted from the books of the “Platonists”, i.e. Neo-Platonists.  How was he helped by Neo-Platonic philosophy?  Where does he part company with the Neo-Platonists? 

 6) At what point in his account would you say that Augustine was “converted” to Christianity?  How does Augustine understand conversion?  

Format and Citation – You should use the Chicago Manual of Style format. A condensed form of this can be found in Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.