St. Augustine: Letters, vol. 1 (1–82)
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
These letters, taken as a whole, present a vivid and fascinating view of life in North Africa at the beginning of the fifth century. In addition to the comments about ecclesiastical and episcopal affairs, there are also letters on various threats to peace and security common in this period of the late empire, on slavery and the growth of the slave trade, and on Roman involvement in African affairs, both ecclesiastical and civil.
There are letters dealing with moral questions and pastoral problems, in both marriage and the family, as well as in larger areas of doctrine and discipline in the Church. The conflict resulting from the end of the Donatist schism becomes clearer, as does the refrain of desperation stemming from an inadequate supply of clergy for parishes needing to be served. A large number of these letters illustrate the day-to-day worries of a fifth century North African bishop: clerical scandals, Church finances, people seeking sanctuary in a church (and the ensuing problems with the civil authorities), and disputed episcopal succession.
For The Fathers of the Church series in its entirety, see Fathers of the Church Series (127 vols.).
Key Features
- Useful for theological and historical study of the era in which Augustine lived and taught
- Includes background on both the author and the pastoral issues he faced
- One of 127 published volumes in a well-respected series on the Church Fathers
Top Highlights
“Let there be one faith of the universal Church, which is spread abroad everywhere, just as within the Church among the members, even if that same unity of faith is manifested by divers practices, what is true in the faith is nowise hindered by that diversity. ‘All the glory of the king’s daughter is within.’43 But, those observances which are differently practised are prefigured by her garment, of which it is said: ‘In golden borders, clothed round about with varieties.’44 Let that garment also be so varied by diver observances, but not so as to be rent by contradiction and controversy.” (Pages 157–158)
“The Apostle Paul said: ‘A man that is a heretic, after the first admonition, avoid, knowing that he that is such a one is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by himself,’2 But, those who maintain their own opinion, however false and perverted, without obstinate ill will, especially those who have not originated their own error by bold presumption, but have received it from parents who had been led astray and had lapsed, those who seek truth with careful industry, ready to be corrected when they have found it, are not to be rated among heretics.” (Page 182)
“There is not much difference between my opinion and yours, for I say that both Peter and Paul practised the Law of the Jews, or, rather, pretended to observe its requirements, through fear of the Jewish Christians; but you assert that they did this out of kindness, ‘moved by a feeling of compassion, not by a crafty intent to deceive.’ That is satisfactory to me, so long as it is granted that they pretended to be what they were not, either through fear or through favor.” (Pages 361–362)
About Augustine
Aurelius Augustinus (354–430) is often simply referred to as St. Augustine or Augustine Bishop of Hippo (the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba in Algeria). He is the preeminent Doctor of the Church according to Roman Catholicism, and is considered by Evangelical Protestants to be in the tradition of the Apostle Paul as the theological fountainhead of the Reformation teaching on salvation and grace.