(354-430)
African bishop,
poet,
philosopher,
author, master of
rhetoric and one of the most influential
theologians of the
Christian faith. Augustine's mother was a devout Christian, his father a pagan who disdained his wife's attempts to instruct their son in the Christian faith. Augustine led a
wild and
dissolute life as a young man in
Carthage. Seeking after spiritual wisdom he was enamoured of the philosophy of the
Manichaeans, but became
disillusioned with their teachings and practices. After his dramatic conversion to
Christianity in
Milan he was elevated to the priesthood in
Hippo by popular demand and rose through the ranks to become bishop of that place. Influenced by
neo-Platonism and at least partially responsible for the Church's doctrine of
original sin. His best-known works are
Confessions and
City of God.
"To Carthage I came, where all about me resounded a caldron of dissolute loves."
"Anger is a weed; hate is the tree."
"He who created you without you will not justify you without you."
"Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self."