Reading Old Books – Augustine’s Confessions Book VI
This week we discuss Book VI of Augustine’s Confessions. We will begin our discussion of Book VII in two weeks on March 13. Please join the discussion by posting a comment to this post.
Book VI recounts some of Augustine’s time in Milan. It seems that he is moving closer to becoming a Christian, but at this point is still not. He discusses two of the major influences in his life at the beginning of the book – his mother, and Ambrose. His mother arrives from Carthage and is not surprised to learn that he is no longer a Manichee, since she had received a vision years earlier that Augustine would be converted. While in Milan, she learns under Ambrose, and responds to his teaching by giving up some of the superstitions that she previously practiced. Ambrose is another major influence in Augustine’s life. His teachings are clear and persuasive, and his public standing impresses Augustine. Augustine would like more time to question Ambrose, but Ambrose’s schedule will not allow this. But despite the reasonableness of the teaching, Augustine is unwilling to commit himself, describing it as a patient who has suffered with a bad doctor being hesitant to see another doctor. This was how the Manichee experience affected him.
Still, Augustine saw the Christian life, and particularly the clerical life, as attractive. Ambrose seemed happy and accomplished, and while Augustine was accomplished, he was not happy. He recounts how once while traveling to a speech he would give, he saw a beggar who had no cares and seemed happy, while he with his accomplishments was wracked with fear and anxiety. But the main argument against the clerical lifestyle was celibacy – he could not imagine life without the embrace of a woman.
Augustine develops a group of friends which includes Alypius, whom he knew in Carthage. Augustine was under pressure to marry, but his friends argued against it, hoping instead that the group might live some sort of communal philosopher’s lifestyle. Augustine gave into the demands, and agreed to marry a girl who was too young to marry immediately. Still, he was forced to send away his mistress because of the engagement. All this caused him to debate with his friends the nature of good and evil. In his debate, he realized that a life lived in the pursuit of pleasure did not make him happy. In retrospect, he could see how God was at work in his heart at that point.
Book VI seems like a prescription for the ailments of modern society. Our culture tells us that we can be happy either by pursuing pleasure or accomplishments. Many people live their lives in search of momentary pleasures. Others seek after wealth or prestige or power. Both expect that getting these things will make them happy and satisfied. Augustine tried both of these. He lived for sensual pleasures in this life. He also lived for prestige and reputation as a rhetorician. But neither of these made him happy, because in the end they cannot. In the end only God himself is sufficient to satisfy the human heart. By the end of Book VI, it seems that Augustine is very close the realizing this,
Posted by David Fenton on Feb 27, 11:52 PM