Henry ChadwickAugustine: A Very Short Introduction

I have been an ardent admirer of Augustine for a while and learning of this man was one of my greatest ambitions. Chadwick did an excellent job dispelling the canards that lay within the contrived image of Augustine. From the accusations of his championship of scornful treatment for political opponents to him being a prominent misogynist and a downer on the concupiscent delights of sex. Reading this book lifted the veneer from my eyes to witness the more arcane and complex man of Augustine. I recommend any person with an insatiable appetite to read and learn about the great man of Augustine to read this book. It is a jewel of unprecedented wealth for this great African bishop.

For a figure as historically and theologically significant as Augustine, secondary sources hardly do him justice. However, Henry Chadwick has written an excellent introduction to Augustine’s life and thought - and in only 134 pages! This accessible introduction is the perfect starting point for those interested in church history and Augustine’s influence.SummaryChadwick insists that Augustine must be read in the context of the ancient world, factoring in how he was shaped by the literature and philosophy of Greece and Rome (5). Therefore, in every chapter of the book Chadwick details the philosophical and religious influences that undergirded the way that Augustine’s thought. He especially highlights the transformation and maturation of his views prior to and after his conversion. He lays out the relevant events of Augustine’s life in a way that supplements much of the material in Confessions, rather than repeats it. Chadwick specifically focuses on the foundation that Platonism played in Augustine’s embrace the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith. He points out that Augustine’s background in Manichee dualism invoked his study of the relationship of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, particularly in reconciling the problem of evil with the character of God as revealed in the Scriptures (40). He shows how Augustine connected his profound philosophy with his desire for community - “understanding requires love to attain its end” (53). In other words, we come to true understanding by loving God and neighbor.Chadwick is intentional to show that Augustine was not a controversialist always debating abstract philosophical and theological trivialities. Augustine had a deep love for Christ’s church and actively sought its unity and health. He describes the historical events that led to a split between the Donatists and the rest of the church. In spite of Donatist violence and exclusivism, Augustine remained an irenic, though convictional, voice in the African church. He later explains Augustine’s conflict with Pelagius, however, he is intentional to state that Pelagius and Augustine agreed on far more than they disagreed. Chadwick points out how the beauty and unity of the universal church served as a significant means which the Lord used to bring about Augustine’s conversion.A figure as historically massive as Augustine certainly warrants an analysis of his societal impact and interpersonal relationships during his time. Shortly after his conversion and prior to his ordination, Augustine lived in a monastic-like commune with many of his friends and followers. As for Augustine’s vocation, Chadwick tells how Augustine was forcibly ordained as a presbyter while visiting Hippo, a role for which he felt particularly unfit. He remained in a relatively ascetic lifestyle, encouraging his congregation to do the same as they carried out their lay vocations. It was his experience as a pastor which enabled him to consider the nature of sin in relation to the Christian with greater understanding - this led him into a thorough examination of Christian ethics and the human will. Chadwick explains that Augustine was distrusted by some because of his cleverness and past as a Manichee. Therefore, during his first three years as bishop of Hippo, he wrote his Confessions. Chadwick expounds on Augustine’s fascination with infants, the role of friendships, memory, and time. Augustine shows how his thought on all of these topics demonstrate that he is thoroughly Christian and not a Manichee in any technical way. Chadwick goes on to explain how Augustine viewed the distinction between male and female - Augustine’s language being far from both the modern egalitarian and complementarian positions. This leads Chadwick into a long description of how Augustine’s thought developed regarding sexuality, including his treatise On the Good of Marriage.Chadwick explains Augustine’s engagement with politics through City of God. He gives an historical survey of the political conflict between the Roman government and Christians. He writes that the book was written as a defense of the Christian faith and as an appeal that the Christian worldview alone provides the path to true human flourishing. However, the reality of sin forced Augustine to see that true peace can only come in the age to come. Yet with that conviction, Augustine had a high view of earthly government as means of God’s providential care for the suppressing of man’s sin caused by the Fall.Chadwick then describes the impact that mathematics, and especially music, had on Augustine’s spirituality and philosophical thought. Augustine saw that geometrical and metrical symmetry gives an objective value to beauty. This led him to an analytical exploration of the role and capacity of human language in describing transcendental absolutes. Chadwick details Augustine’s wrestling with the allegorical and literal interpretations of Genesis 1-3. Chadwick concludes with a brief note on Augustine’s legacy throughout church history.CriticismIn striving with the tension between thoroughness and brevity, Chadwick delves too deep and too quickly into the details of several of the philosophical systems that affected Augustine’s life and thought. It can hardly be overstated how important the thought and work of Cicero, Mani, Plotinus, and Porphyry were for Augustine, but in Chapter 1 Chadwick launches straight into the deep end, leaving the unprepared reader to drown. The first chapter of the book would be appropriate for the reader with a background in philosophy and Greco-Roman literature, but for a brief introduction to Augustine’s life and thought, Chadwick loses the untrained reader in philosophical jargon.It is frustrating that Chadwick seems to say that Augustine incorporates the secular and pagan influences into the Christian faith. For instance, he writes, “After his conversion, Augustine sought to correct Plotinus’ mistakes” (20). Chadwick elsewhere summarizes Augustine as believing that “from Plato to Christ was hardly more than a short and simple step” (26). Later Chadwick writes, “Platonist though Augustine was…” (p. 99). Chadwick closes chapter 1 by reiterating Augustine’s philosophical mash up of the pagan and biblical by writing, “It was momentous that he brought together Plotinus’ negative, impersonal language about the One or Absolute and the biblical concept of God as love, power, justice, and forgiveness” (31). In chapter two, he writes that “Platonism was not something Augustine could leave unamended” (33). So Augustine is depicted as baptizing secular philosophical systems (particularly Neoplatonism), modifying them enough to pass for Christian orthodoxy. While I can acknowledge the common grace of similarity in some aspects of worldviews, how does this square with the biblical teaching of how the gospel is foolishness to the secular philosophical systems of the world?I was displeased with how despiritualized Chadwick presented Augustine’s conversion. He conveyed his conversion almost exclusively in intellectual terms, stating the fact that he was weakened by poor health, implying that his judgment was consequently weakened (26). At one place, Chadwick asserts that Augustine was really seeking a sort of book club for Christianized Platonists (29). Anyone who can read Confessions and miss the deep spiritual motivations and desperation surrounding his conversion seems to have presuppositions that disallow those factors from driving the narrative.Regarding more intramural debates, it is fascinating, though not objectionable, that in Chapter 7 Chadwick writes that Augustine denied that the Petrine confession referred to Peter, saying “We Christians believe not in Peter, but in him whom Peter believed” (87). I would be interested to read a Roman Catholic’s understanding regarding what Augustine believed concerning apostolic succession. Also, in Chapter 10, I would have liked to have seen some references cited in Chadwick’s description of Augustine as a paedobaptist (118).I have to keep reminding myself that Augustine is not a twenty-first century evangelical – there are some important differences between his thought and the thought of much of the modern Western church, both for good and ill. Yet I am persuaded that Augustine has much to teach us concerning the interface of the church with the government and irenic engagement in theological dialogue. The current state of the church of Christ owes much to the legacy of Augustine and an introduction like Chadwick’s is a wonderful tribute to his life and thought.

Well organized, chronological intro on an essential thinker. Straight-forward and yet insightful, does a great job into not only explaining the evolution of Augustine's thought, but also his main influences and detractors that helped shape his life and philosophy. One of the best VSI I've read.

The Oxford 'Short Introduction' series is consistently excellent. Frequently the author is a senior, experienced teacher or practitioner in the field. So it is with this introduction to Augustine. It provides a concise biographical sketch, neatly weaving the development of Augustine's thought and spirituality into the account. There are short chapters on his major works, with just enough detail of the argument. Chadwick also shows a deft touch in identifying issues of critique—sometimes more sympathetic to his subject than many other scholars. I for one feel more appreciative of Augustine as a result.This is a rewarding read, for students, general readers and for scholars needed a 'refresher'.

If Saint Augustine interests you at all, read this book. It provides insight into Augustine's theories and it illustrates how his life was affected by Roman customs of his time. The reasons why the Catholic Church utilizes so many of Augustine's arguments is explained.

This book offered a historically conscious view of Augustine which was nourished by a theologically and philosophically rich diet. All in all, a well rounded treatment of various topics of which Augustine was truly a master.

To understand modern origins of doctrine. To appreciate the influence of a single philosopher on Christendom. To trace the course of Greek philosophy into Christendom.Needed a dictionary to understand many sentences. Not my academic subject, so somewhat unfamiliar with the jargon.Would order and read again.

I love to read about major people in early church history. Augustine is one of my favorite. While he was Catholic and I am protestant, I can see that Augustine was at the cutting edge of biblical doctrine in his day, and is still worth studying today. Few people have that distinction. I have enjoyed the book.

Had some problems at first but this is a very good book company. Highly recommended

Das vorliegende Buch fast auf wenigen Seiten die Stationen und Kontroversen im Leben vom Augustinus zusammen. Als ein Einstiegswerk in Augustinus sehr geeignet

I came to this book needing to do some general background reading on theology and, knowing that Augustine had been such an influential writer/teacher in the early church, to learn more about him. I braced myself for some fairly arcane ideas and beliefs and a book that might perhaps not be the most scintillating. I was wrong! Over and over again I was struck by how clear and pertinent Augustine's thinking was. He had an outstanding intellect, but without the 'ivory towers'. It was also encouraging to find that he had not just persisted in a faith in which he had been brought up, but that his Christian convictions came at the end of a long personal journey of discovery and faith. Somehow this gave them added meaning.Henry Chadwick's book is perfect as a survey of Augustine: the man, his beliefs and the impact they had. I read the book quickly and easily and found I had marked and underlined many place for future use - surely a good sign. The book is organised thematically, exploring Augustine's teaching on different areas of belief and theology. It makes reference to the many texts that Augustine wrote and that made such an impact on the development of the early Christian world.Chadwick transformed my view of Augustine. I whole-heartedly recommend this book if you too are curious to learn more.

Required reading for my MA Course

A very dense introduction to one of the greatest thinkers of the West. Great reading, but, unless you are already very familiar with Augustin and his world, it will take some time to get through it. I think this is a book one should read more than once. I am presently studying De trinitate, but I intend to come back to Chadwick afterwards. Strongly stimulating stuff!