What Augustine Says

Augustine has been called the greatest man possessed by the Christian church between Paul and Luther. His writings continue to be read and studied, and they continue to influence the church.

But where does one turn to discover what Augustine wrote concerning theological topics such as Scripture, God, Christ, humanity, salvation? How can one find out what Augustine said about the relation between faith and reason, about evil, about ethics?

Identifying the key passages in Augustine's works on any one topic can be exhausting and even impossible for the student. In this volume such passages are quoted, allowing students to become acquainted with one of Christendom's greatest theologians through his own words and in a volume of manageable length.

Each quote or group of quotes is summarized by a sentence heading, which in turn is part of a well-organized outline. In the chapter on faith and reason, for example, the quoted material is divided into these major groupings: (1) reason precedes initial faith, (2) faith precedes full reasoning or understanding, (3) reason or understanding is the reward of faith, (4) reason can stand on its own for faith, (5) reason helps confirm faith, (6) faith goes beyond reason, and (7) faith never goes against reason, nor reason against faith.

The editor has drawn on a wide variety of sources, including Augustine's theological writings, sermons, letters, and 'Confessions'. All quotations are documented, providing the reader easy access to the full context of each excerpt.

Augustine (354-430) was bishop of Hippo in Roman North Africa from 396 to his death.