ABSTRACT
Augustine’s Confessions describes how he comes to know God. There are four recurring themes that support his account: conversion, ascent, Christ, and pilgrimage. The first six books of Confessions are an account of the conversions that were most formative for Augustine: to philosophy, to Manichaeism, and to Platonism. In Book 7, when he recounts his conversion from Manichaeism to Platonism, Augustine describes three attempted ascents. Confessions might be confusing for those not used to reading theological literature. But it is worth keeping in mind that it is not just a summary of Augustine’s philosophical positions. One of Augustine’s goals is to dramatize his central ideas (that is, his understanding of conversion, ascent, Christ, pilgrimage, humility, and grace), so that these ideas appear to emerge naturally from his life’s story—and be relevant to his readers’ lives, too. People have long enjoyed reading Confessions, and this means that Augustine has had the opportunity to teach readers through the ages.
