ABSTRACT
Augustine of Hippo, author of Confessions, was the most prolific theological writer of his time, and he enjoyed widespread fame as a teacher and preacher. Augustine’s Confessions tells the story of Augustine’s coming of age and spiritual journey to God. Moreover, Confessions is a work of theology; it includes biblical interpretation and philosophical speculation. Augustine’s story is full of psychological and spiritual insights. He is also remarkably attentive to feelings of guilt, shame, pride, and the desire for acceptance. Confessions shows us how to integrate religion and spirituality. Augustine’s self-reflective narrative style became significant for those studying philosophy and theology because it informed important debates about such major topics as time, narrative, and the self. Though academics very rarely write in the deeply personal and psychologically inquisitive style of Confessions, the book is still important because of the works it influenced, and because it offers a window into the spiritual and theological impulses of Western Christianity.
