Jeff Carter
I came across a book recently that was entitled something like “50 people every Christian should know.” I haven’t yet read it, but it sparked a thought in me about how oftentimes we make reference to, and have a vague perception of certain very important Christian leaders and thinkers and even early church fathers, and we grasp on to great quotes from them; but how much do we really know about them? So I thought I would take the opportunity from time to time in our newsletter to explore some of the most important figures in Christian history and perhaps we can come away with a richer, fuller understanding of our foundation and heritage.
Undoubtedly, one of the most significant theologians and church fathers in history was Augustine of Hippo. Augustine was born November 13, 354 A.D. at Tagaste; about 60 miles from the ancient city of Hippo Regius. He embraced Christ at the age of 33 after having spent his youth in a mixture of learning and relatively loose living. It is said that the sermons of Ambrose, the biography of St. Anthony and the Epistles of Paul were instrumental in his conversion.
According to the great church historian Philip Schaff, in 391 [Augustine] was “chosen presbyter against his will, by the voice of the people…which proved to be the voice of God.” In 395, he was elected bishop in the same city, Hippo Regius, where he served until his death, August 28, 430. Augustine was a very prolific author in the 44 years he wrote. He wrote over 100 books, 500 sermons and 200 letters. His works include autobiographical works such as his Confessions and Rectractations, philosophical treaties, apologetic works, such as The City of God—considered by some to be his greatest work. He also wrote polemic works against the heresies of Manicheanism, Donatism, Arianism, and Pelagianism, from which come some of his most influential and valuable works. These include On Nature and Grace, On the Grace of Christ and Original Sin, On Grace and Free Will, On the Predestination of the Saints, On the Gift of Perseverance and many others. He also wrote many exegetical and ethical (or practical and ascetic) works as well.
Augustine is considered the father of both Protestant as well as Roman Catholic theology. So what was it that he taught? In his treatise On Faith and the Creed, Augustine expounds upon what was meant in the Apostles’ creed. He goes through all the particular articles of faith contained in the creed, ideas such as: the eternity of God, Christ’s equality with the Father, Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven, the coming judgment, the mystery of the Trinity, and the resurrection of the flesh. He makes an interesting point about the heretics, a point which is equally valid today, when he describes them as those, “…with whom the desire to teach takes precedence of that to understand…” He ends by summarizing the purpose of the creed, “This is the faith which in few words is given in the Creed to Christian novices…that in believing they may be made subject to God; that being made subject, they may rightly live; that in rightly living, they may make the heart pure; that with the heart made pure, they may understand that which they believe.”
In his treatise On Nature and Grace, which he wrote against Pelagianism, Augustine explains how man’s nature was initially created sinless, but has since been corrupted by sin. He also argues that if it were possible for men to lead totally righteous lives, then faith in Christ would be unnecessary. He describes how grace, for it truly to be grace, must be a free gift and not in any way earned, else it is wages. Much of what Augustine wrote was to correct the heresies espoused by Pelagius. Pelagius taught that man’s nature was basically good, and that man was able to choose God without divine intervention. Thus Pelagius denied the doctrine of original sin.
In Augustine’s On the Grace of Christ and Original Sin, he once again attacks Pelagius on a number of points. These include: Pelagius’ view of grace; his view that free will is the basis on which we come to God; and his idea that Satan can be resisted on our own. Augustine shows how Christ is our mediator and he explains in what sense Christ “became sin” (2 Cor 5:21). He explains that no one was ever saved except by grace. He explains that grace, seen clearly in the New Testament, was hidden in the Old.
In his work On Grace and Free Will, Augustine attempts to strike a balance between those two concepts which sometimes seem mutually exclusive. He warns against maintaining one while denying the other. He argues that when Paul says that he kept the faith, that faith he kept was a gift from God. He shows that Paul, in another passage, does not say, I obtained mercy because I was faithful, but rather, in order that he might be faithful. But then he shows that faith without works is not the faith that leads to eternal life. His point is that eternal life is both a reward for service and a free gift of grace, and that justification is grace, simply and entirely, while, eternal life, is reward and grace. When discussing the fact that faith is the gift of God, he says, “The spirit of grace, therefore, causes us to have faith, in order that through faith, we may, on praying for it, obtain the ability to do what we are commanded.” He uses the verses, “We love Him because He first loved us.” and, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,” to prove that the apostles chose Christ because they were chosen. They were not chosen because they chose Christ.
In his treatise On the Predestination of the Saints, Augustine sets out to prove that not only is “…the increase of faith…God’s gift,” but also that, “…the beginning of faith, whereby a man first believes in Christ,” is not of the man himself, but is a gift of God. He also distinguishes between the general calling of all to repentance, and the special calling of the elect. This special calling of the elect is not because they have believed, but in order that they may believe. He makes a very important distinction when he says that God, in His predestination, foreknew what He proposed to do; not what men would do. On the Gift of Perseverance is the second part of a two-part work he began in his treatise on predestination. In the latter work, he basically ascribes the beginning of faith to God; in the former, the end of faith, as well. He shows that just as the faith to believe is a gift, so too, is the perseverance to the end. He argues that the Lord’s Prayer is little else, but an asking for perseverance. He makes an interesting observation that the people of Tyre and Sidon would have believed, had they seen the same miracles as Chorazin; but they were not shown these miracles, because it was not given to them to believe. To the question, why the grace of God is not given according to men’s merit, he answers; “Because God is merciful.” To the question, why is it then not given to all, he answers; “Because God is a Judge.” To the charge that the preaching of predestination is not useful for exhortation, he replies that it is useful, so that man may not glory in himself, but in the Lord. He basically slams the door shut on any argument against predestination by quoting the holy of holies of election passages, Romans 9; “Who are you O man, who answers back to God…” He closes by showing that the result of such a wonderful doctrine as this, should be thanksgiving to God.
It has been said of Augustine, “He was an able polemicist, a good preacher, a fine Episcopal administrator, a superb theologian…” and “…the greatest of the fathers of the church.” Revered in both Roman Catholic and Protestant camps alike, Augustine stands alone as perhaps a meeting place or at least a common ground where these two warring worlds can possibly dialogue.
In spite of being one of the greatest thinkers the church has ever seen, he also harbored some error. He helped develop the idea of purgatory, he allegorized the millennium, and his strong emphasis of the sacraments led to the ideas of baptismal regeneration and sacramental grace. But it also has been said that we can learn more from the errors of great minds than from the truths of smaller ones. It would be practically impossible to over-emphasize the influence his life and thought had on western civilization. A Christian philosopher and philosophical theologian, he stands side by side with the greatest thinkers in ancient or modern times. His zeal for truth and the mind to comprehend it is what is most inspiring about this theologian par excellance.
-Jeff
If you are able, please consider joining us at the book table on Fridays on the campus of UCI. It is a great opportunity to have “God-conversations” with students and plant seeds for the cause of Christ. Please contact Hilliary for more information at adminasst@hadavar.org.