Augustine Confessions

Augustine was born by a Catholic mother Monica and Patritius a non-believer as his father in Thagaste, current Algeria, in the year 354 AD. Augustine started as a priest and later became a bishop serving in Hippo (Young 13). His rise in the Lord’s service was not that easy because Augustine faced a lot of obstacles, but with his overcoming spirit, he was able to triumph. This victory earned him the recognition of being considered among prominent founders of the Catholic denomination.
Factors that hindered Augustine from changing his life
Inner conflict that Augustine suffered during his teenage age made him experience difficulties in giving his life to Christ. In his Confessions, we are told that he arrived in Rome in the year 383 AD. During his stay, he became sick and only depended on assistance from his Manichean friends who were in a sect that believed in astrology, which was contrary to Christianity. His emotional and economic attachment to Manichean friends made it difficult for him to receive baptism, even when he was close to death. It is something that was contrary to his childhood experience (Ferrarri 71). Manicheans had contributed a lot to his career advancement, and Augustine rose to be a rhetoric professor in the Millan city, also known as imperial court city; this happened after Symmachus, a Manichean recommended him. With his career, Augustine comfortably supported his family, though he was a skeptic with Manichean doctrines.
During his scholarship period in Carthage, Augustine met a bad company that influenced his behavior and morals.

Her mother, who clearly understood his weakness of being easily swayed, decided to follow him to Rome justified since no one was around to take care of Augustine (Dodds 61). Her mission was simply to convert Augustine to Christianity. Augustine later developed unbecoming behavior after being identified as one of the gang members that participated in bullying new students and disrupting school programs. In the confessions, we learn that Augustine did not participate in all gang activities but still enjoyed their company and lived with them.
Earthly desires, particularly sex, hindered Augustine from receiving salvation. He lived with a woman not married to him and is obsessed with sex. He was heard saying that his desire was great and adolescent sex clouded his heart to the point that he could not differentiate between love and lust murk (11.2.1). Moreover, Augustine avoided salvation because it was a chance to deny him sex. Through lust, Augustine had his first son called Adeodatus. He loved him a lot, yet he clearly knew that his son was a product of sin.
Finally, Augustine accepts to give up his old ways and gets converted. Monica, his mother, gets credit for being guidance and instrument from God for his salvation, though, she postponed Augustine’s baptism during his childhood since she felt he was not ready; it is evident when he confesses that he once stole a fruit. Monica encouraged his conversion to Catholicism. After meeting Plotinus-the Neoplatonist-and reading his works, he understood the existence of the spiritual world. This knowledge made him view life in a different perspective, and this made him develop courage in fighting his bodily desires and Manichean sect beliefs. In my opinion, his change is justifiable since Christ came for the sinners and not the holy ones. We must also acknowledge that for one to be saved, proper guidance is critical; this is why Monica and Bishop Ambrose had to play a major role in his conversion.
Works Cited
Dodds, Eric R. “Augustine’s Confessions: a study of spiritual maladjustment.” (1928).
Ferrari, Leo C. The Conversions of Saint Augustine. Villanova Univ Augustinian, 1984.
Young, Frances. “The Confessions of St. Augustine.” Augustinian Studies 30.1 (1999): 1-16.