Articulate the evidence that Augustine discovers to support his notion that were all ‘hard- wired’ to seek God.
During his early years, Augustine reveals himself to be confused and not knowing whom to believe in. He lived an ignorant and careless life. He even had mistresses and didn’t care much about his life. He later converted to a devout Christian from a practical pagan. He involved himself in sustained prayer which made him recall of his childhood experiences and discovered how God’s grace had been sufficient throughout his life. In his book ‘the confessions’ Augustine highlights his furious fight to overcome his reckless behavior and attain a life full of religious refinement. He says, for instance that a man should look upon a tree and from it see the existence of God which in natural theology, this is impossible. Augustine based his arguments from the Bible especially from the books of Genesis which talks about creation and from the book of Romans. (Sheed, 2003, p. 236)
Augustine states in his writings that prayer is not an easy task, but to succeed in his work, he devoted himself to serious prayer. He says that prayer is private, humble and intimate. It involves only an individual and God. Majority of the people do not want to be limited by the Bible in doing their things and this why they reject religion. The desire of freedom in their deeds distracts them from seeking God and living according to the ways of the Bible. (Sheed, 2003, p. 242)
What sorts of surprising conclusions does this lead him to?
Through his notion, trying to review his childhood, youth age and human willfulness and all the Gifts that God had given made him to seek God and know him more. He became a devout Christian and a prayerful man. He even became the Bishop of Hippo. According to Augustine principle, he believed that a human being should know, love and serve God. He discovered that prayer was very essential if he was to succeed in his Christian life and this made him very prayerful. He dumped his mistress and became a priest with the Catholic Church, went back to Africa and became the Bishop of Hippo. Augustine started advocating for people to praise God and depend upon him for spiritual nourishment. (Sheed, 2003, p. 477)
Do you agree or disagree with Augustine on this point.
I agree with Augustine that most of us are ‘hard-wired to seek God. Most Christians are not ready to seek God since they fear that freedom to do anything as they should follow the principles of the Bible. Faith is what leads to our understanding of who God is. Our reflections on the past and focus on the future will lead us to seek the truth and what it entails. Through his reflections about his infancy, youthful age and his life as an adult led him to search for the truth which he found in his dedication of reading the Bible and sustained prayer. Augustine says that sin is deceitful self-assertion and it is only through believing and following the ways of God through his word in the Bible that a person becomes pure. (Sheed, 2003, p. 481)
REFERENCE LIST
Sheed J.F (2003) A Readers Companion to Augustine’s Confessions. Newyork:
Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 0664226191
Sheed F.J (2000) Augustine of Hippo. California Press Publishers. ISBN
0520227573
