Confessions - Augustine - I - Books 1 & 2

Required reading
Confessions by Augustine (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Books 1 and 2.

My summary
Now we begin Augustine's Confessions.

In Book I Augustine opens with praise of God, particularly concerning his omnipresence.  Then he speaks of his infancy and early development based on his observations of infants.  Then Augustine moves to speak of his boyhood and includes comments about his schooling - Latin he loved, Greek he hated.  Interspersed amongst the account is praise for God and condemnation of his sinfulness and ignorance of God.

Then Book II speaks of his actions as a 16 year old.  Augustine is particularly concerned to confess the sins of fornication and the theft of pears from a tree that he then wasted.

What grabbed me
This is really good reading.  Augustine's insights into the depravity of men and the majesty of God are stunning.

I liked this comment: 'Behold, O Lord God, yea, behold patiently as Thou art wont how carefully the sons of men observe the covenanted rules of letters and syllables received from those who spake before them, neglecting the eternal covenant of everlasting salvation received from Thee. Insomuch, that a teacher or learner of the hereditary laws of pronunciation will more offend men by speaking without the aspirate, of a “uman being,” in despite of the laws of grammar, than if he, a “human being,” hate a “human being” in despite of Thine. As if any enemy could be more hurtful than the hatred with which he is incensed against him; or could wound more deeply him whom he persecutes, than he wounds his own soul by his enmity. Assuredly no science of letters can be so innate as the record of conscience, “that he is doing to another what from another he would be loth to suffer.” How deep are Thy ways, O God, Thou only great, that sittest silent on high and by an unwearied law dispensing penal blindness to lawless desires. In quest of the fame of eloquence, a man standing before a human judge, surrounded by a human throng, declaiming against his enemy with fiercest hatred, will take heed most watchfully, lest, by an error of the tongue, he murder the word “human being”; but takes no heed, lest, through the fury of his spirit, he murder the real human being.'

People are concerned to speak according to the human rules of grammar, but are not concerned to speak according to the rules of God.

Next week's reading
Read Books III and IV.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.