Confessions by Augustine (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Book VII.
Today we see him struggle with the question of the origin of evil. He hears various views from the Manichees (such as free-will) and tries to come up with the answer himself but to no avail.
But Augustine has also begun to read the Bible more closely and has a particular love for Paul's letters.
I enjoyed hearing about Augustine's struggles with the apostle Paul.
I particularly liked this quote: 'Most eagerly then did I seize that venerable writing of Thy Spirit; and chiefly the Apostle Paul. Whereupon those difficulties vanished away, wherein he once seemed to me to contradict himself, and the text of his discourse not to agree with the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets. And the face of that pure word appeared to me one and the same; and I learned to rejoice with trembling.'
Paul still has the same effect on his readers today: joy and fear experienced at the same time.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
1 comment:
I enjoyed this comment on heresies: "For the rejection of heretics makes the tenets of Thy Church and sound doctrine to stand out more clearly. For there must also be heresies, that the approved may be made manifest among the weak."
God in His infinite goodness allows heresies and false teachings to arise the better to strengthen the faith and doctrine of His church. I pray the Church learns her lessons of today well, so that future Christians may be blessed by what we're stuggling with today.
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