The Confessions, Book Xi Time And Eternity - 2932 Words

THY 600 Research Paper Joe Stocker Augustine s Confessions, Book XI: Time and Eternity Augustine s Confessions is a series of complex books that he compiled to elucidate his relationship with an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving God who is also the Creator of all things. Confessions recapitulates that those who have commenced their return to God must acknowledge their state before God so that He might set them free. It should be mentioned that Chan and Outler each point out that the word confessions has a two fold meaning.1 It refers to knowledge of the truth about the self – in Augustine s situation, his confessing his sins. The word confiteri also means to declare to God the truth one knows about God. Here the meaning is give honor, praise and glory to God. To confess is a practice in self-discernment and true humility in an environment of grace and atonement. The first ten books in the series of thirteen relate to an examination of Augustine himself. Tellingly, in Book IX, he raises the question, â€Å"Who am I?†2 Starting with Book XI and through Book XIII, he raises a kindred question, â€Å"What is time?† (reprised as â€Å"What then is time?† 3 Augustine s desire was to achieve God s â€Å"rest† so that he might be capable to fully consider the God he had come to know vaguely through his momentary experiences. He craved a stability between his soul and God which was constantly disrupted by his temporal experiences. In Confessions Books XI – XIII, Augustine ceasedShow MoreRelatedWhat Challenges Face Descriptions Of God1568 Words   |  7 PagesWhat challenges face descriptions of God, according to Augustine in Confessions and De Trinitate? Augustine of Hippo is writing at the turn of the 4th and 5th centuries. The two primary texts which we will consider in this essay are both classic expositions of Augustinian theology and philosophy, however the style of writing found in each is rather different. Confessions addresses God directly in the second person, while De Trinitate appeals more to the reader. These are both written by the bishopRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Trinity9485 Words   |  38 PagesUnion (412-396-6657) to discuss your particular need and make arrangements. Week 1:A THREEFOLD PATTERN â€Å"Trinity† Entry in A New Handbook of Christian Theology 1992 â€Å"Biblical Pressure and Trinitarian Hermeneutics† C. Kavin Rowe Pro Ecclesia Vol. XI, No. 3 â€Å"Theological Unitarianisms† H. Richard Niebuhr Christian Century 499-501 (3 pp.) 295-312 (17 pp.) 150-157 (7 pp.) Week 1:B THE BINITARIAN EARLY CHURCH â€Å"The Binitarian Shape of Early Christian Devotion and Ancient Jewish Monotheism†Read MoreSda Manual Essay101191 Words   |  405 Pages................................... Proper Method of Remitting Funds to the Conference/ Mission/Field ...................................................................... Preservation of Financial Documents ..................................... Books Should Be Audited ......................................................... Relations With Members Confidential ..................................... Interest Coordinator ....................................................................... A Church