4 most important works of Saint Augustine of Hippo
The most important works of Saint Augustine of Hippo they are “Confessions”, “The City of God” (De Civitate Dei), “The Trinity” (De Trinitate) and “De Doctrina Cristiana” (De Doctrina Christiana). At unPROFESOR.com we present them to you.
San Agustin (354-430) was a Christian philosopher and theologian and one of the most influential Church Fathers. Within the history of philosophy, Saint Augustine constitutes a somewhat dissonant figure since, although by chronology it fits within ancient philosophy, due to his philosophical thought and his influence, he would fit better within philosophy medieval. Thus, Saint Augustine was the highest reference point for Christian philosophers of the Middle Ages, passing his philosophical trajectory from Epicureanism, Manichaeism, skepticism and Platonism, forging all his Christian philosophy influenced by the latter current.
In this lesson of unPROFESOR.com we tell you What were the most important works of Saint Augustine of Hippo? and what philosophical ideas he reflected in each of his books.
Index
- Confessions (Confessiones), one of the most important works of Saint Augustine of Hippo
- The City of God (De Civitate Dei)
- The Trinity (De Trinitate)
- Of Christian Doctrine (De Doctrina Christiana)
Confessions (Confessiones), one of the most important works of Saint Augustine of Hippo.
Throughout his life, Saint Augustine wrote numerous works in which he addressed a wide range of theological, philosophical, and ethical issues. Among the most prominent titles is "confessions".
This work is one of the most popular and most influential of San Agustin. In it, the author narrates his vital trajectory and how he converted to Christianity after a somewhat dissolute life and after an intense period of spiritual struggles. The work was written between the years 397 and 398, in addition to reviewing his life, Saint Augustine deals with topics such as the nature of evil, memory and time.
Likewise, Saint Augustine tells us about the exaltation of divine power and grace as tools to overcome the natural incapacity of human beings to overcome the temptation of evil. Saint Augustine's own experience shows the effects of God's transforming grace and in the book he invites the reader to recognize and overcome misery and corruption and embrace divine grace as a way of redeeming ourselves and seeing our growth grow. devotion.
discover the political and social context of San Agustín.
The City of God (De Civitate Dei)
the city of god It is another of the most important works of San Agustín de Hipona. In fact, it is the monumental work of the philosopher It has 22 books in which the author proposes a new civil society in which one lives according to the values established by Christian doctrine. Thus, Saint Augustine studies the relationship between the Church and the State, as well as examining the nature of good and evil.
For this, San Agustín makes a review of the history of mankind and he establishes the existence of two cities: the city of God and the earthly city. The work was written between the year 412 and 426, already in the author's old age, and with it he also tried to respond to the criticisms that pagans made against Christianity.
For Saint Augustine, the city of God or heavenly city it is something that transcends the earthly and will be for all those who live according to God's commandments, being so because God is fair and gives each person what he deserves. A city already promised in the Bible and that is achieved if, following free will, the human being lives being aware of all his acts and guides them towards true happiness: God, the author of all creation.
The perverse use of that will, selfishness, greed and all the vices of worldly pleasure make human beings move away from God. Saint Augustine proposes to leave the temporal to deserve the eternal and to be able to enjoy that heavenly city. Man has to go after the good of his neighbor and his own and achieve eternal happiness by realizing that he loves God, something of which one becomes aware thanks to the fact that within us there is a sense that comes from God and that illuminates us.
So,the city of god start living on earth and that is where the human being has to begin to prepare his soul. A city that is in constant struggle with the earthly city because the latter is inhabited by people who do not They recognize God and not only live putting their happiness on earthly things and follow paths far from the world. creator. The ideal is to be a member of both cities and live an ordered temporary life within a civil society according to God's standards.
The Trinity (De Trinitate)
The Trinity It is one of the most outstanding works of Saint Augustine of Hippo. It was published in the year 417, and the thinker explore the mystery of the Holy Trinity. He reflects on the nature of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and analyzes how these aspects relate to and complement each other.
Of Christian Doctrine (De Doctrina Christiana)
In this treatise published between 397 and 426, Saint Augustine offers guidelines on how to interpret and teach the Holy Scriptures. He addresses topics such as biblical hermeneutics, Christian teaching, and the relationship between faith and reason.
These are just some of the most notable works of St. Augustine, but he also wrote other works important, like
- "De bono coniugali" (On the good of marriage)
- "De civitate Dei contra paganos" (The city of God against the pagans)
- "De libero arbitrio" (On free will)
His intellectual and theological legacy continues to be relevant to this day.
If you want to read more articles similar to Saint Augustine of Hippo: important works, we recommend that you enter our category of Philosophy.
Bibliography
- ALONSO, Alfred. Freedom and grace in Saint Augustine of Hippo. 2009.
- FERRER, Urbano; ROMAN, Angel D. Saint Augustine of Hippo. Retrieved on, 2010, vol. 21.
- LAZCANO, Rafael. The love of truth according to Saint Augustine of Hippo. 2010.
- SAETEROS PEREZ, Tamara. By my soul I will ascend to God: The concept of the soul of Saint Augustine of Hippo. Civilize Social and Human Sciences, 2013, vol. 13, not 25, p. 189-210.