Saint Augustine of Hippo: biography of this philosopher and priest.

This priest was one of the most relevant thinkers of the first centuries of Christianity.

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was a priest and philosopher of the Catholic Church, known as the "Doctor of Grace". He devoted his life to deep reflection on theology and politics, which laid the foundations for an important part of medieval and modern philosophy.

The following is a biography of St. Augustine of Hippo, as well as a brief description of his writings.as well as a brief description of his main works.

Biography of St. Augustine of Hippo: priest, theologian and philosopher.

Augustine of Hippo, originally named Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, was born on November 13, 354 in a Roman province in North Africa, called Tagaste (now Algeria). He was the son of Monica, of Berber origin and a devotee of the Catholic Church; and Patricius, a descendant of pagan beliefs. Both were a respectable couple in Roman society.

At the age of 11, Augustine was sent to a school south of Tagaste, where he remained until the age of 17, when he began his training in rhetoric. After this, and despite having been raised a Catholic, Augustine left the church to follow Manichaeism, a religion formed by the prophetThe religion formed by the Persian prophet Mani, with whom he became disillusioned years later. Shortly thereafter he formed a family with the woman who was his companion for 15 years. With her he had his only son, named Adeodatus, who died at an early age.

In 383, Augustine moved to Rome, where he continued to study rhetoric, philosophy, persuasion and public speaking skills. He soon became one of the most representative intellectuals of the Latin world.This also allowed him to engage in political activities.

Later he moved to Milan, where he finished detaching himself from Manichaeism and concluded that it was a form of heresy to be fought. In philosophical matters he became interested in skepticism and Neoplatonism..

In the summer of 386, and after having gone through a deep personal crisis, detailed in his famous work ConfessionsAugustine of Hippo finally converted to Christianity. He abandons rhetoric and academia, renounces his marital commitment, and thus devotes himself to practicing the priesthood.

After this he returned to North Africa and founded a monastery. In 391 he was ordained to the priesthood in the city of Hippo, which is now Annaba, Aruba.which is now Annaba, Algeria. From then on he was known as Augustine of Hippo, and was soon recognized as a great preacher.

Augustine of Hippo died in the year 430, probably on August 28, at the age of 75; after being named bishop and "patron of the regular clergy". Although the exact causes of his death are not known, it is known that it was in the context of the invasion of the Roman province of Africa by the Vandals of Gensericus.

Three main works

Augustine of Hippo was recognized not only in Italy and Africa, but also in Spain and the Middle East. Especially well known are his works Confessions, City of God y Reconsiderationsalthough there are many others. The following is a brief description of their main ideas.

1. Confessions

This work is composed of 13 books, and most of them are autobiographical accounts of his life.. St. Augustine decided to name his work Confessions not only for that reason, but also for the religious significance of the act of confession. The work is composed of reflections of St. Augustine on his own life, taking as a reference the biblical book of genesis.

He addresses issues such as the contradictions between his past and later positions of authority as a bishop. He also talks about the nature of sin and redemption, which show the influence of the biblicalHe also discusses the nature of sin and redemption, which reveal the influence of Bishop Ambrose on Augustine's thought, as well as the doctrines of Plato. He also discusses the renunciation of sexuality after priestly ordination, the search for divine wisdom, and the mystical experience that happened to him in Milan and that led him to finally decide for the Catholic life.

2. City of God

In the context of war and political conflicts between Africa and Italy, as well as in a religious environment that constantly confronted paganism, St. Augustine spent 15 years working on a new way of understanding human society.

For the philosopher, it was necessary to establish a City of God capable of opposing the City of Man. The latter was doomed to disorder, and so it was important for wise men to it was important that the wise men advocated for a city based on divinity..

The work is divided into 22 books, ranging from the questioning of pagan communities that claimed different forms of divine power; to the biblical history of mankind (from Genesis to the Last Judgment). Thus, it sought to present a "true history" of the City of God. This is considered one of the fundamental works for understanding the political order that characterized the Middle Ages.

3. Reconsiderations

Reconsiderations was written in the last years of his life, and offers a retrospective view of a retrospective view of St. Augustine's career.. It is composed of several of his earlier writings and includes comments on the circumstances in which they were written, as well as rectifications or ratifications of what was said.

It is a work that expresses in a profound way the thought and life of this philosopher. It owes its title precisely to the exercise of self-analysis that St. Augustine carries out.

Other outstanding works

In addition to the above, other works that are representative of the thought and life of St. Augustine are Christian Doctrine (written between 396 and 397), The Trinity (written between the years 399/400-416/421), Literal Commentaries on Genesis (from the years 401/414) and Sermonsfrom the same period.

Bibliographical references:

• Augustine of Hippo (2016). New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 29, 2018. Available at http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Augustine_of_Hippo
• O'Donnell, J. (2018). St. Augustine. Christian Bishop and Theologian. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved October 29, 2018. Available at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine#ref24812