I once heard the trick to pronouncing “Augustine:” before seminary, you pronounce it aw-guh-STEEN, but after seminary you pronounce it aw-GUHS-tun. As I near the end of my seminary studies, I can say that this is at best only mostly true. (I believe it was just a joke anyways.)
However you pronounce his name, St. Augustine of Hippo has been one of the most influential writers in the history of Christianity. But what do we know about Augustine himself? And what drove his writings and theology? James J. O’Donnell’s book Augustine: A New Biography (New York: Harper Perennial, 2005) attempts to answer these very questions.
Augustine’s famous work titled Confessions is part autobiography, part prayer, and ends around the time of Augustine’s conversion to Christianity in AD 386/387. O’Donnell picks up the story here and through the use of primary sources—including many letters to and from Augustine—and scholarly research constructs a biography that narrates much of Augustine’s post-conversion life. Augustine’s conflicts with Donatism and Pelagius are both highlighted, as well as his influence within the North African communities he pastored.
I must say that I enjoyed O’Donnell’s style, narrative and subtle humor. O’Donnell (professor of classics and Provost at Georgetown University) is fully qualified and his ability and knowledge come through in the writing. If you can get around the ancient names of places and people Augustine interacted with in 5th century Northern Africa, then you’re in for a well-written book.
What makes O’Donnell’s work a “new biography?” It seems like the dominant attitude throughout that only in this book do we capture the “real” Augustine—and this is my main complaint. For O’Donnell, everything you thought you knew was—at least partially—incorrect. He is fond of phrases such as “… but now…” or “… or so we once thought…”
My advice is this: O’Donnell’s book is a tool to help us understand the life of an ancient figure. I doubt we can say this version is the definitive interpretation of his life (O’Donnell himself might not say it is), but the book does give us a picture. O’Donnell’s portrait of Augustine is a politically-minded and socially-conscious individual, and I don’t doubt Augustine had his flaws. Who doesn’t have room to grow spiritually? Augustine—like us all—needed grace. Perhaps after reading you’ll be more encouraged that a man of such faith still had room to grow.
No comments:
Post a Comment