The second book of the Catholic Classics series, The Confessions of St. Augustine, is an updated translation of the key work of Catholic tradition that is accessible for modern readers . Often considered one of the most influential and inspiring works of the saints, this classic yet relevant text was written by the Doctor of the Church as a prayer to God, confessing his faith despite past mistakes and recognizing the ways that God has transformed his heart. Through the years, it has remained a key reflection on the spiritual life for believers who seek to persevere through weakness toward the glory of heaven. Exploring topics such as understanding Sacred Scripture, the weakness of the human heart, and the transformative power of an encounter with the living God, this text draws readers ever closer to God through St. Augustine’s conversations with the heavenly Father who called him out of a life of sin and onto the path toward sainthood . With a new translation by Dr. Matthew Minerd, this special version renews Catholics' understanding and appreciation of this spiritual classic. It also This beautiful book draws all Catholics into a deeper relationship with God in their pursuit of holiness through the honesty, authenticity, and wisdom of one of the Church’s greatest saints.
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Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, in English Augustine of Hippo, also known as St. Augustine, St. Austin, was bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). He was a Latin philosopher and theologian from the Africa Province of the Roman Empire and is generally considered as one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all times. His writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity. According to his contemporary Jerome, Augustine "established anew the ancient Faith." In his early years he was heavily influenced by Manichaeism and afterward by the Neo-Platonism of Plotinus. After his conversion to Christianity and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, and he framed the concepts of original sin and just war. When the Western Roman Empire was starting to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the Catholic Church as a spiritual City of God (in a book of the same name), distinct from the material Earthly City. His thoughts profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Augustine's City of God was closely identified with the Church, the community that worshiped the Trinity. In the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, he is a saint and pre-eminent Doctor of the Church. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider him to be one of the theological fathers of the Protestant Reformation due to his teaching on salvation and divine grace. In the Eastern Orthodox Church he is also considered a saint. He carries the additional title of Blessed. Among the Orthodox, he is called "Blessed Augustine" or "St. Augustine the Blessed". Santo Agostinho
