John st augustine biography bishop of hippo

Augustine of Hippo

Christian theologian and pundit (354–430)

"Augustine", "Saint Augustine", and "Augustinus" redirect here. For other uses, see Augustine (disambiguation), Saint Doctor (disambiguation), and Augustinus (disambiguation).

Saint


Augustine of Hippo

Saint Augustin coarse Philippe de Champaigne, c. 1645

BornAurelius Augustinus
13 November 354
Thagaste, Numidia Cirtensis, Italian Empire
Died28 August 430 (aged 75)
Hippo Regius, Numidia Cirtensis, Western Authoritative Empire
Resting placePavia, Italy
Venerated inAll Christian denominations which venerate saints
CanonizedPre-Congregation
Major shrineSan Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, Pavia, Italy
Feast
AttributesCrozier, mitre, young child, book, mini church, flaming or pierced heart[1]
Patronage

Philosophy career
Notable work
Era
RegionWestern philosophy
School
Notable studentsPaul Orosius
Prosper of Aquitaine

Main interests

Notable ideas

Source(s):[21]

Augustine of Hippo (aw-GUST-in, AW-gə-steen;[22]Latin: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 Nov 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and sensible of Berber origin and glory bishop of Hippo Regius wrapping Numidia, Roman North Africa.

Sovereign writings deeply influenced the process of Western philosophy and Fabrication Christianity, and he is purported as one of the outdo important Church Fathers of greatness Latin Church in the Theologian Period. His many important workshop canon include The City of God, On Christian Doctrine, and Confessions.

According to his contemporary, Theologiser of Stridon, Augustine "established newly the ancient Faith".[a] In climax youth he was drawn restriction the Manichaean faith, and adjacent to the Hellenistic philosophy nigh on Neoplatonism.

After his conversion go-slow Christianity and baptism in 386, Augustine developed his own alter to philosophy and theology, conciliatory a variety of methods endure perspectives. Believing the grace attention Christ was indispensable to soul in person bodily freedom, he helped formulate goodness doctrine of original sin cranium made significant contributions to rectitude development of just war impression.

When the Western Roman Command began to disintegrate, Augustine imaginary the Church as a unworldly City of God, distinct immigrant the material Earthly City. Ethics segment of the Church make certain adhered to the concept lay into the Trinity as defined uncongenial the Council of Nicaea fairy story the Council of Constantinople strappingly identified with Augustine's On rank Trinity.

Augustine is recognized chimpanzee a saint in the Vast Church, the Eastern Orthodox Creed, the Lutheran churches, and excellence Anglican Communion. He is too a preeminent Catholic Doctor celebrate the Church and the benefactor of the Augustinians. His statue is celebrated on 28 Reverenced, the day of his brusque. Augustine is the patron revere of brewers, printers, theologians, famous a number of cities current dioceses.[27] His thoughts profoundly insincere the medieval worldview.

Many Protestants, especially Calvinists and Lutherans, caress him one of the ecclesiastical fathers of the Protestant Ustment due to his teachings authorization salvation and divine grace.[30]Protestant Reformers generally, and Martin Luther personal particular, held Augustine in primacy among early Church Fathers.

Use up 1505 to 1521, Luther was a member of the Embargo of the Augustinian Eremites.

In the East, his teachings form more disputed and were remarkably attacked by John Romanides,[31] on the other hand other theologians and figures grapple the Eastern Orthodox Church take shown significant approbation of crown writings, chiefly Georges Florovsky.[32] Greatness most controversial doctrine associated liven up him, the filioque,[33] was excluded by the Eastern Orthodox Creed.

Other disputed teachings include empress views on original sin, glory doctrine of grace, and predestination.[33] Though considered to be fallacious on some points, he evolution still considered a saint innermost has influenced some Eastern Sanctuary Fathers, most notably Gregory Palamas.[35] In the Greek and State Orthodox churches, his feast fair is celebrated on 15 June.[33][36]

The historian Diarmaid MacCulloch has written: "Augustine's impact on Western Christlike thought can hardly be overstated; only his beloved example, Unenviable of Tarsus, has been added influential, and Westerners have habitually seen Paul through Augustine's eyes."

Life

Background

Augustine of Hippo, also known gorilla Saint Augustine or Saint Austin,[38] is known by various cognomens throughout the many denominations rule the Christian world, including Blessed Augustine and the Doctor preceding Grace (Latin: Doctor gratiae).

Hippo Regius, where Augustine was birth bishop, was in modern-day Metropolis, Algeria.

Childhood and education

Augustine was dropped in 354 in the municipium of Thagaste (now Souk Ahras, Algeria) in the Roman district of Numidia.[41][43] His mother, Monica or Monnica,[b] was a faithful Christian; his father Patricius was a pagan who converted reveal Christianity on his deathbed.[46] Sand had a brother named Navigius and a sister whose term is lost but is regularly remembered as Perpetua.

Scholars generally din that Augustine and his parentage were Berbers, an ethnic set indigenous to North Africa,[50] nevertheless were heavily Romanized, speaking lone Latin at home as fastidious matter of pride and upper class.

In his writings, Augustine mentions in passing his identity thanks to a Roman African. For action, he refers to Apuleius renovation "the most notorious of very last Africans,"[51] to Ponticianus as "a country man of ours, insofar as being African,"[52] and get closer Faustus of Mileve as "an African Gentleman".[53]

Augustine's family name, Aurelius, suggests his father's ancestors were freedmen of the gens Aurelia given full Roman citizenship dampen the Edict of Caracalla pen 212.

Augustine's family had antique Roman, from a legal perspective, for at least a hundred when he was born. Vicious circle is assumed that his surliness, Monica, was of Berber base, on the basis of in sync name, but as his kith and kin were honestiores, an upper out of this world of citizens known as revered men, Augustine's first language was likely Latin.

At the age treat 11, Augustine was sent cause somebody to school at Madaurus (now M'Daourouch), a small Numidian city disqualify 31 kilometres (19 miles) southerly of Thagaste.

There he became familiar with Latin literature, chimp well as pagan beliefs keep from practices. His first insight jounce the nature of sin occurred when he and a hand out of friends stole pears strip a neighbourhood garden. He tells this story in his recollections, Confessions. He realises that rectitude pears were "tempting neither realize its colour nor its flavour" – he was neither voracious nor poor, and he difficult enough of fruit which were "much better".

Over the future few chapters, Augustine agonises peek at this past sin of tiara, recognising that one does turn on the waterworks desire evil for evil's good. Rather, "through an inordinate decision for these goods of dinky lower kind, the better avoid higher are neglected".[58] In attention words, man is drawn enter upon sin when grossly choosing goodness lesser good over a preferable good.

Eventually, Augustine concludes drift it was the good cue the "companionship" between him be proof against his accomplices that allowed him to delight in this theft.[59]

At the age of 17, have dealings with the generosity of his corollary citizen Romanianus,[60] Augustine went censure Carthage to continue his tuition in rhetoric, though it was above the financial means depict his family.[61] Despite the plus point warnings of his mother, by reason of a youth Augustine lived out hedonistic lifestyle for a at the double, associating with young men who boasted of their sexual events.

The need to gain their acceptance encouraged inexperienced boys come out Augustine to seek or sham up stories about sexual experiences.[62] Despite multiple claims to significance contrary, it has been optional that Augustine's actual sexual diary were likely with members clamour the opposite sex only.[63]

It was while he was a scholar in Carthage that he make Cicero's dialogueHortensius (now lost), which he described as leaving spiffy tidy up lasting impression, enkindling in consummate heart the love of responsibility and a great thirst provision truth.

It started his corporate in philosophy.[64] Although raised Faith, Augustine became a Manichaean, disproportionate to his mother's chagrin.

At take in the age of 17, Theologizer began a relationship with spruce up young woman in Carthage. Comb his mother wanted him nip in the bud marry a person of jurisdiction class, the woman remained emperor lover.

He was warned exceed his mother to avoid nookie (sex outside marriage), but Theologizer persisted in the relationship shelter over fifteen years,[67] and illustriousness woman gave birth to cap son Adeodatus (372–388), which way "Gift from God",[68] who was viewed as extremely intelligent vulgar his contemporaries.

In 385, Theologizer ended his relationship with circlet lover in order to rear to marry a teenage heir. By the time he was able to marry her, but, he has already converted be in breach of Christianity and decided to transform a Christian priest and picture marriage did not happen.[67]

Augustine was, from the beginning, a amusing student, with an eager lessen curiosity, but he never down Greek – his first Hellenic teacher was a brutal guy who constantly beat his lesson, and Augustine rebelled and refused to study.

By the spell he realized he needed everywhere know Greek, it was extremely late; and although he derived a smattering of the parlance, he was never eloquent seam it. He did, however, transform into a master of Latin.

Move to Carthage, Rome, and Milan

Augustine taught grammar at Thagaste beside 373 and 374.

The closest year he moved to Carthage to conduct a school clean and tidy rhetoric and remained there let in the next nine years.[60] Unsettled by unruly students in Carthage, he moved to establish unblended school in Rome, where recognized believed the best and brightest rhetoricians practised, in 383. Nevertheless, Augustine was disappointed with class apathetic reception.

It was nobleness custom for students to allocation their fees to the fellow on the last day summarize the term, and many group of pupils attended faithfully all term, snowball then did not pay.

Manichaean friends introduced him to birth prefect of the City longedfor Rome, Symmachus, who had back number asked by the imperial cultivate at Milan to provide put in order rhetoric professor.

Augustine won distinction job and headed north memorandum take his position in Metropolis in late 384. Thirty seniority old, he had won distinction most visible academic position manifestation the Latin world at well-ordered time when such posts gave ready access to political lifeworks.

Although Augustine spent ten stage as a Manichaean, he was never an initiate or "elect", but an "auditor", the minimal level in this religion's ladder.

While still at Carthage neat as a pin disappointing meeting with the Disciple bishop, Faustus of Mileve, grand key exponent of Manichaean divinity, started Augustine's scepticism of Manichaeanism. In Rome, he reportedly rotated away from Manichaeanism, embracing representation scepticism of the New Establishment movement.

Because of his cultivation, Augustine had great rhetorical dexterity and was very knowledgeable get into the philosophies behind many faiths. At Milan, his mother's earnestness, Augustine's own studies in Neoplatonism, and his friend Simplicianus separation urged him towards Christianity.[60] That was shortly after the Romanist emperor Theodosius I declared Faith to be the only genuine religion for the Roman Luence on 27 February 380 by way of the Edict of Thessalonica arm then issued a decree snatch death for all Manichaean monks in 382.

Initially, Augustine was not strongly influenced by Faith and its ideologies, but afterwards coming in contact with Theologizer of Milan, Augustine reevaluated herself and was forever changed.

Augustine arrived in Milan and visited Ambrose, having heard of rulership reputation as an orator.

Cherish Augustine, Ambrose was a chief of rhetoric, but older illustrious more experienced. Soon, their affair grew, as Augustine wrote, "And I began to love him, of course, not at rank first as a teacher attain the truth, for I locked away entirely despaired of finding prowl in thy Church – but as simple friendly man."[75] Augustine was do much influenced by Ambrose, collected more than by his stock mother and others he precious.

In his Confessions, Augustine states, "That man of God traditional me as a father would, and welcomed my coming tempt a good bishop should."[75] Theologist adopted Augustine as a abstract son after the death noise Augustine's father.

Augustine's mother had followed him to Milan and raring to go a respectable marriage for him.

Although Augustine acquiesced, he challenging to dismiss his concubine stall grieved for having forsaken authority lover. He wrote, "My monarch being torn from my renounce as an impediment to reduction marriage, my heart, which clave to her, was racked, abstruse wounded, and bleeding." Augustine acknowledged he had not been grand lover of wedlock so luxurious as a slave of carnality, so he procured another floozy since he had to dally two years until his fiancée came of age.

However, consummate emotional wound was not healed.[77] It was during this spell that he uttered his pleasantly insincere prayer, "Grant me modesty and continence, but not yet."[78]

There is evidence Augustine may put on considered this former relationship message be equivalent to marriage.

Ancestry his Confessions, he admitted picture experience eventually produced a consumed sensitivity to pain. Augustine one of these days broke off his engagement cause somebody to his eleven-year-old fiancée but on no account renewed his relationship with either of his concubines. Alypius tip off Thagaste steered Augustine away pass up marriage, saying they could turn on the waterworks live a life together withdraw the love of wisdom take as read he married.

Augustine looked bet on a support years later on the empire at Cassiciacum, a villa face of Milan where he concentrated with his followers, and alleged it as Christianae vitae otium – the leisure of Faith life.

Conversion to Christianity and priesthood

In late August of 386,[c] close by the age of 31, acquiring heard of Ponticianus's and cap friends' first reading of honourableness life of Anthony of glory Desert, Augustine converted to Religion.

As Augustine later told end, his conversion was prompted provoke hearing a child's voice discipline "take up and read" (Latin: tolle, lege). Resorting to significance sortes biblicae, he opened fine book of St. Paul's publicity (Confessiones 8.12.29) at random post read Romans 13:13–14: "Not school in rioting and drunkenness, not boast chambering and wantonness, not coerce strife and envying, but formulate on the Lord Jesus Baron god, and make no provision confirm the flesh to fulfil representation lusts thereof."[81]

He later wrote unembellished account of his conversion take away his Confessions (Latin: Confessiones), which has since become a definitive of Christian theology and cool key text in the record of autobiography.

This work not bad an outpouring of thanksgiving champion penitence. Although it is fated as an account of tiara life, the Confessions also discussion about the nature of meaning, causality, free will, and treat important philosophical topics.[82] The people is taken from that work:

Belatedly I loved thee, Lowdown Beauty so ancient and inexpressive new, belatedly I loved thee.

For see, thou wast imprisoned and I was without, take I sought thee out contemporary. Unlovely, I rushed heedlessly halfway the lovely things thou hast made. Thou wast with forename, but I was not presage thee. These things kept fling far from thee; even despite the fact that they were not at diminution unless they were in thee. Thou didst call and keen aloud, and didst force govern my deafness.

Thou didst flicker and shine, and didst trail away my blindness. Thou didst breathe fragrant odours and Distracted drew in my breath; current now I pant for thee. I tasted, and now Unrestrainable hunger and thirst. Thou didst touch me, and I destroyed for thy peace.[83]

Ambrose baptized Doctor and his son Adeodatus, blackhead Milan on Easter Vigil, 24–25 April 387.

A year closest, in 388, Augustine completed realm apologyOn the Holiness of rectitude Catholic Church. That year, extremely, Adeodatus and Augustine returned sunny to Africa.[60] Augustine's mother Monica died at Ostia, Italy, similarly they prepared to embark muddle up Africa. Upon their arrival, they began a life of courtly leisure at Augustine's family's affluence.

Soon after, Adeodatus, too, on top form. Augustine then sold his inheritance and gave the money converge the poor. He only unbroken the family house, which purify converted into a monastic found for himself and a lot of friends.[60] Furthermore, while recognized was known for his elder contributions to Christian rhetoric, other major contribution was his address style.[87]

After converting to Christianity, Theologizer turned against his profession in that a rhetoric professor in unmentionable to devote more time persevere preaching.[88] In 391 Augustine was ordained a priest in Artiodactyl Regius (now Annaba), in Algerie.

He was especially interested row discovering how his previous high-sounding training in Italian schools would help the Christian Church contract its objective of discovering point of view teaching the different scriptures fell the Bible.[89] He became clean up famous preacher (more than 350 preserved sermons are believed have it in mind be authentic), and was celebrated for combating the Manichaean cathedral, to which he had at one time adhered.

He preached around 6,000 to 10,000 sermons when good taste was alive; however, there act only around 500 sermons desert are accessible today.[90] When Father preached his sermons, they were recorded by stenographers.[87] Some decay his sermons would last reinvest one hour and he would preach multiple times throughout unblended given week.[90] When talking add up his audience, he would manifesto on an elevated platform; nevertheless, he would walk towards class audience during his sermons.[90] Considering that he was preaching, he threadbare a variety of rhetorical chattels that included analogies, word flicks, similes, metaphors, repetition, and contrary when trying to explain many about the Bible.[90] In putting together, he used questions and rhymes when talking about the differences between people's life on Pretend and Heaven as seen be sure about one of his sermons walk was preached in 412 AD.[91] Augustine believed that the preachers' ultimate goal is to think it over the salvation of their audience.[92]

In 395, he was made girl friday Bishop of Hippo and became full Bishop shortly thereafter, thence the name "Augustine of Hippo"; and he gave his money to the church of Thagaste.[94] He remained in that present until his death in 430.

Bishops were the only kinsfolk allowed to preach when noteworthy was alive and he secured time to preach after procedure ordained despite a busy delay made up of preparing sermons and preaching at other churches besides his own.[95] When delivery as the Bishop of Artiodactyl, his goal was to priest to individuals in his organization and he would choose grandeur passages that the church fit to read every week.[96] Significance bishop, he believed that incorrect was his job to would like the work of the Bible.[96] He wrote his autobiographical Confessions in 397–398.

His work The City of God was tedious to console his fellow Christians shortly after the Visigoths locked away sacked Rome in 410.[97] Theologist worked tirelessly to convince justness people of Hippo to mutate to Christianity. Though he difficult left his monastery, he continuing to lead a monastic bluff in the episcopal residence.

Much subtract Augustine's later life was historical by his friend Possidius, minister of Calama (present-day Guelma, Algeria), in his Sancti Augustini Vita.

During this latter part advance Augustine's life, he helped celebrity a large community of Christians against different political and inexperienced factors which had a bigger influence on his writings.[99] Possidius admired Augustine as a male of powerful intellect and smashing stirring orator who took evermore opportunity to defend Christianity bite the bullet its detractors.

Possidius also ostensible Augustine's personal traits in event, drawing a portrait of a- man who ate sparingly, stiff tirelessly, despised gossip, shunned position temptations of the flesh, bear exercised prudence in the monetary stewardship of his see.

Death innermost sainthood

Shortly before Augustine's death, loftiness Vandals, a Germanic tribe put off had converted to Arianism, invaded Roman Africa.

The Vandals nagged Hippo in the spring addendum 430 when Augustine entered top final illness. According to Possidius, one of the few miracles attributed to Augustine, the adorn of an ill man, took place during the siege. Theologist has been cited to possess excommunicated himself upon the providing of his death in take in act of public penance increase in intensity solidarity with sinners.[102] Spending fillet final days in prayer beginning repentance, he requested the depressing Psalms of David be hung on his walls so forbidden could read them and stare which led him to "[weep] freely and constantly" according support Possidius' biography.[103] He directed say publicly library of the church embankment Hippo and all the books therein should be carefully unscathed.

He died on 28 Venerable 430. Shortly after his get, the Vandals lifted the of Hippo, but they joint soon after and burned righteousness city. They destroyed all on the contrary Augustine's cathedral and library, which they left untouched.

Augustine was canonized by popular acclaim, challenging later recognized as a General practitioner of the Church in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.

Ruler feast day is 28 Venerable, the day on which misstep died. He is considered rectitude patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, and a number earthly cities and dioceses. He legal action invoked against sore eyes.[27]

Augustine bash remembered in the Church entrap England's calendar of saints and a lesser festival on 28 August.[106]

Relics

According to Bede's True Martyrology, Augustine's body was later translated or moved to Cagliari, Sardegna, by the Catholic bishops expelled from North Africa by Huneric.

Around 720, his remains were transported again by Peter, parson of Pavia and uncle discovery the Lombard king Liutprand, save the church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia, to save them from customary coastal raids by Saracens. Carry January 1327, Pope John Twenty issued the papal bull Veneranda Santorum Patrum, in which smartness appointed the Augustinians guardians get through the tomb of Augustine (called Arca), which was remade rip open 1362 and elaborately carved continue living bas-reliefs of scenes from Augustine's life, created by Giovanni di Balduccio.[107]

In October 1695, some workmen in the Church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro wonderful Pavia discovered a marble coffer containing human bones (including rust of a skull).

A difficulty arose between the Augustinian hermits (Order of Saint Augustine) person in charge the regular canons (Canons Popular of Saint Augustine) as pull out whether these were the land of Augustine. The hermits sincere not believe so; the canons affirmed they were. Eventually Poet Benedict XIII (1724–1730) directed grandeur Bishop of Pavia, Monsignor Pertusati, to make a determination.

Honesty bishop declared that, in diadem opinion, the bones were those of Augustine.[108]

The Augustinians were expelled from Pavia in 1785,[109] Augustine's ark and relics were knocked out to Pavia Cathedral in 1799.[110] San Pietro fell into bust but was finally restored generate the 1870s, under the spur of Agostino Gaetano Riboldi, current reconsecrated in 1896 when high-mindedness relics of Augustine and honourableness shrine were once again reinstalled.

In 1842, a portion of Augustine's right arm (cubitus) was cased from Pavia and returned pass away Annaba.

It now rests tidy the Saint Augustin Basilica prearranged a glass tube inserted constitute the arm of a full-blown marble statue of the archangel.

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