Confessions

Oxford World's Classics

De: St. Augustine, Henry Chadwick

Narrado por: S. D. Cousins

In his own day the dominant personality of the Western Church, Augustine of Hippo today stands as perhaps the greatest thinker of Christian antiquity, and his Confessions is one of the great works of Western literature. In this intensely personal narrative, Augustine relates his rare ascent from a humble Algerian farm to the edge of the corridors of power at the imperial court in Milan, his struggle against the domination of his sexual nature, his renunciation of secular ambition and marriage, and the recovery of the faith his mother Monica had taught him during his childhood.

Now, Henry Chadwick, an eminent scholar of early Christianity, has given us the first new English translation in 30 years of this classic spiritual journey. Chadwick renders the details of Augustine's conversion in clear, modern English. We witness the future saint's fascination with astrology and with the Manichees, and then follow him through scepticism and disillusion with pagan myths until he finally reaches Christian faith. There are brilliant philosophical musings about Platonism and the nature of God, and touching portraits of Augustine's beloved mother, of St. Ambrose of Milan, and of other early Christians like Victorinus, who gave up a distinguished career as a rhetorician to adopt the orthodox faith. Augustine's concerns are often strikingly contemporary, yet his work contains many references and allusions that are easily understood only with background information about the ancient social and intellectual setting. To make the Confessions accessible to contemporary listeners, Chadwick provides the most complete and informative notes of any recent translation and includes an introduction to establish the context.

The religious and philosophical value of the Confessions is unquestionable - now modern listeners will have easier access to St. Augustine's deeply personal meditations. Chadwick's lucid translation and helpful introduction clear the way for a new experience of this classic.

©1991 Henry Chadwick (P)2021 Upfront Books

Incredible

Incredible. I expect I will return to Confessions many times throughout my life. Augustine offers wisdom on many different topics. Coming to faith, challenges given to his Christian mother, spiritual formation and discipleship, and philosophies of mind, time, and creation. Much on Genesis 1. Wonderful prayer for understanding toward the end of XI.

The author tells God what he has done

This work begins enthralling, becomes boring, then obnoxious. It’s strength is the authors reflection on his school years relationship with mother and his time in a cult, but it has no real pick up and you don’t have a good understanding of what the author was doing later in his life. His telling God what God has done becomes overbearing, it’s hypnotic but you lose interest.

best translation

This is by far the best translation of Confessions into modern language. I enjoyed it immensely.

Powerful usage of language to describe intricacies of his thoughts.

You feel like you're inside his head. He is so transparent, it's intimate. It's an intensely beautiful love expression to his God revealing his inner most thoughts and feelings. It feels so private and yet he offers it up for all to see in the hope that others come to feast on the faith that is his life.
Listen and be swept away.

Beautiful

Amazingly deep and spiritually fulfilling. The Narrator has an extremely soothing voice combined with the genius of Augustine is an experience for any person seeking wisdom within the Christian faith and traditions.