St. Augustine’s Confessions

Analyze one of the foundational texts of both Christianity and Western philosophy in this course that covers St. Augustine’s most impactful work.

Overview

Course No. 6627

This 24-lecture course provides:

• Chapter-by-chapter analysis of all 13 books of the Confessions
• Historical context of 4th century Roman Empire and early Christianity
• Philosophical exploration of time, memory, evil, and human nature
• Modern relevance of Augustine’s spiritual autobiography

Key Themes Explored:

✓ The nature of sin and conversion
✓ Augustine’s intellectual journey from paganism to Christianity
✓ Philosophical inquiries into time and memory
✓ The Christianization of classical thought
✓ Enduring influence on Western literature and theology

Video Lectures

Section 1: Introduction & Context

01: Augustine and the Confessions (32 min)
Approaching this classic text in modern times

02: Classical Antiquity’s World (30 min)
Political and social context of late Roman Empire

03: Augustine’s Other Works (30 min)
Survey of his 48-volume literary corpus

04: Unique Structure (31 min)
Why this isn’t traditional autobiography

Section 2: The Early Years (Books I-IV)

05-06: Childhood & Education (30 min each)
Infancy through school years – the roots of sin

07-08: Adolescence (30 min each)
Pear theft as symbolic rebellion

09-10: Young Adulthood (30 min each)
Carthage studies and first profound loss

Section 3: Intellectual Journey (Books V-VIII)

11-12: Rome & Milan (30 min each)
Encountering Ambrose and re-evaluating faith

13-14: Neo-Platonism (30 min each)
How pagan philosophy led to Christian truth

15-16: Conversion (30 min each)
The famous “take up and read” moment

Section 4: Transformation (Books IX-X)

17-18: New Life (30 min each)
Baptism, contemplation, and Monica’s death

19-20: Bishop Augustine (30 min each)
Present struggles and memory’s mysteries

Section 5: Philosophical Inquiry (Books XI-XIII)

21: Nature of Time (30 min)
“What is time?” – Augustine’s famous paradox

22: Biblical Interpretation (30 min)
Reading Genesis through multiple lenses

23: Creation (30 min)
Sophisticated understanding of Genesis

Section 6: Legacy

24: Enduring Influence (31 min)
From Dante to Luther to modern seekers