5. Enchiridion 33 (BA 9:326); trans. Peebles, FOTC 2:471–72.
works on theological matters profit greatly, but I believe that the ones who really profited were those who actually heard him and saw him speak in church, and especially those who got to know him in conversations when he was among us. Not only was he a scribe well-instructed in the kingdom of heaven, bringing forth from his storehouse treasures new and old (Mt 13:52), and one of those merchants who, once he had found the precious pearl, sold what he had and bought it (Mt 13:45–46); he was also one of those about whom we read: "So you speak, and so you do" (Jas 2:12).'4
Of Useful Length
Augustine concluded his "handbook" to Laurentius with the following remarks. It seems a fitting end to this volume. From Enchiridion: (33) But there must be an end somewhere to this volume. It is for you to see whether you ought to call it a handbook or use it as such. As for myself, since I thought that your zeal in Christ was not to be despised, believing and hoping good things for you with the help of our Redeemer, and loving you greatly among the members of His body, I have written for you, as well as I could, this book on faith, hope, and love. May it be as useful as it is lengthy.5
4. Vita 31 (Geerlings, 104); my trans., based on Muller and Deferrari, FOTC 15:124. 5. Enchiridion 33 (BA 9:326); trans. Peebles, FOTC 2:471–72.
Chronology
The Life and Major Works of Augustine
Scholars have been able to plot out the chronology of Augustine's life and works with remarkable precision, one virtually impossible with any other figure from antiquity. Three major things make this possible: the volume of his surviving works which contain scattered cross-references and chronological markers; the dates and autobiographical comments in Confessions, and his scrupulous listing and ordering of his books in Reconsiderations. While one does find, in the scholarly literature, occasional variations on the dating of this or that work (generally with a year or two's difference), there is, on the whole, surprisingly broad consensus on most matters. (I should add that it remains difficult to date the majority of his sermons, though certain ones can be pinpointed with some precision.) On the chronology of Augustine's life and works, see Goulven Madec, Introduction aux 'Revisions' et à la Lecture des Œuvres de saint Augustin (1996), esp. 159–65; Serge Lancel, Saint Augustine (1999; English: 2002), esp. 531–36; and Allan Fitzgerald, Augustine through the Ages (1999), xliii–il.
Early Career: Thagaste, Carthage,
Milan (354–387)
354 (Nov. 13) Born in Thagaste
366–369 Studies in grammar at Madaura
369–370 Studies interrupted; idle year in Thagaste
370 Begins studies in rhetoric at Carthage; begins living with mistress c. 371 Death of Augustine's father Patricius; birth of Adeodatus c. 373 Reads Cicero's Hortensius; joins Manichees
373–374 Teaches in Thagaste
374–383 Teaches in Carthage
383 Meets Faustus of Milevis
383–384 Teaches in Rome
384 Appointed orator for Milan; meets Ambrose of Milan
442 Chronology
386 Reads Platonist books
386 (August) Conversion in garden in Milan
386 (Sept.) Withdraws to Cassiciacum; writes: Against the Skeptics (Contra Academicos, 386) On the Happy Life (De beata vita, Nov. 386) On Order (De ordine, 386) Soliloquies (Soliloquia, 386–387)
387 (Mar.) Returns to Milan for Lenten training for baptism; writes: On the Immortality of the Soul (De immortalitate animae, 387)
387 (April) Baptized in Milan by Ambrose
Rome and Thagaste (387–391) c. 387 Vision at Ostia; death of Augustine's mother Monnica
387–388 Spends year in Rome; writes: On the Catholic and Manichean Ways of Life (De moribus ecclesiae Catholicae et de moribus Manichaeorum, 388–389) On the Greatness of the Soul (De animae quantitate, 388) On Free Will, Bk. 1 (De libero arbitrio, begun: 388)
388 Leaves Italy; sails with family and friends to North Africa
388–391 Establishes and leads monastic community in Thagaste; writes: On Genesis against the Manichees (De Genesi adversus Manichaeos, 388) On Music (De musica, c. 388 or 389) On the Teacher (De magistro, 389) On True Religion (De vera religione, c. 390)
390 Death of Adeodatus; death of Nebridius
391 Aurelius becomes Catholic bishop of Carthage
Presbyter: Hippo Regius (391–395)
391 Ordained presbyter for Hippo Regius; soon after writes: On the Advantage of Believing (De utilitate credendi, 391) On the Two Souls (De duabus animabus, 391–392)
392 (August) Debates Fortunatus the Manichee (Acta contra Fortunatum Manichaeum)
393 (October) Council of Hippo; Augustine addresses bishops on creed, published as: On Faith and the Creed (De fide et symbolo, 393)
Chronology
393–395 Other major works written (or completed or begun) in this period: Expositions on the Psalms, 1–32 (Enarrationes in Psalmos, begun: c. 393) Psalm against the Donatists (Psalmus contra partem Donati, c. 393) On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount (De sermone Domini in monte, 394) Commentary on Statements in the Letter of Paul to the Romans (Expositio quarundam propositionum ex epistula apostoli ad Romanos, 394) Against Adimantus (Contra Adimantum Manichei discipulum, 394) On Free Will, Bks. 2–3 (De libero arbitrio, completed c. 395) Commentary on the Letter to the Galatians (Expositio epistulae ad Galatas, c. 395) c. 395 Initiates correspondence with Jerome (Letter 28) c. 395 Initial exchange of letters with Paulinus of Nola, beginning a 25-year correspondence
Bishop: Hippo Regius (396–430) c. 395 Ordained coadjutor bishop for Hippo Regius c. 396 Succeeds Valerius as bishop of Hippo Regius; writes soon after: To Simplicianus, on Various Questions (Ad Simplicianum, 396)
397 Death of Ambrose of Milan
397 (June, Aug.) Attends Councils of Carthage; preaches there during summer
397–400 Major works composed (or begun) during this period: Against the "Foundation Letter" of Mani (Contra epistulam Manichaei quam vocant fundamenti, 396–397) Rule (Regula: Praeceptum, c. 397) On Christian Teaching, Bks. 1–3 (De doctrina christiana, begun 397) Confessions (Confessiones, 397–401) Against Faustus, a Manichee (Contra Faustum Manichaeum, 397–398) On the Trinity (De Trinitate, begun 399 or 400) On the Nature of the Good (De natura boni, 399) On Catechizing Beginners (De catechizandis rudibus, c. 399)
400 Death of Simplicianus
400–403 Major works composed during this period: On the Agreement among the Evangelists (De consensu evangelistarum, 400) Against the Letter of Parmenian (Contra epistulam Parmeniani, 400) On Baptism (De baptismo, 400–401)
444 Chronology
400–403 (cont.) Responses to Januarius (Ad inquisitiones Januarii, 400) (= Letters 54–55)
On the Good of Marriage (De bono conjugali, 401) On the Literal Interpretation of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram, begun 401) Against the Letters of Petilian (Contra litteras Petiliani, 400–403)
403 Attends Council of Carthage. Escapes assassination.
405 Government issues Edict of Unity (against Donatists)
405–410 Major works composed (or begun) during this period: Against Cresconius (Contra Cresconium, 405) Tractates on the Gospel of John 1–16 (In Johannis evangelium tractatus, begun late 406) Expositions of the Psalms 119–133 (Enarrationes in psalmos, late 406–407) Tractates on the First Letter of John (In epistulam Johannis ad Parthos tractatus, begun Easter Week, 407) On One Baptism in Answer to Petilian (De unico baptismo contra Petilianum, 410)
410 Alaric and the Goths sack Rome; Pelagius and Caelestius flee to North Africa
411 (June 1–8) Participates in Conference of Carthage (with Donatists); publishes précis: Summary of the Meeting with the Donatists (Breviliculus conlationis cum Donatistis)
411 (fall) Tribunal in Carthage convicts Caelestius of heresy
412–413 Major works composed (or begun) during this period: On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins and on Infant Baptism (De peccatorum meritis et remissione et de baptismo parvulorum, 412 On the Spirit and the Letter (De spiritu et littera, 412) On the City of God, Bks. 1–3 (De civitate Dei, begun 413)
413 (Sept.) Flavius Marcellinus executed
414 Receives a copy of Pelagius's On Nature from former disciples of Pelagius
415 (July) Paul Orosius accuses Pelagius of heresy at synod in Jerusalem
415 (Dec.) Pelagius vindicated at Synod of Diospolis in Palestine
415–416 Major works composed (or completed) during this period: On the Literal Interpretation of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram, completed 415) On Nature and Grace (De natura et gratia, 415) On the Perfection of Human Righteousness (De perfectione justitiae hominis, 416) On the Deeds of Pelagius (De gestis Pelagii, late 416–early 417)
416 Councils of Carthage and Milevis (Augustine attends latter); dossier of documents sent to Pope Innocent I
417 (Jan. 27) Innocent I condemns Pelagius and Caelestius
417 (March) Death of Innocent I; Zosimus becomes pope
417 Initial contacts with Count Boniface; Augustine responds to his inquiries with: On the Correction of the Donatists (De correctione Donatistarum = Letter 185)
417 (Sept.) Zosimus clears Pelagius and Caelestius of charges of heterodoxy
418 (Apr. 29) Imperial rescript issued against Pelagius and Caelestius
418 (May 1) Council of Carthage issues canons on original sin, grace, and infant baptism
418 (summer) Zosimus issues Tractoria against Pelagians
419 Julian of Eclanum writes initial works against Augustine c. 420 Death of Jerome
418–422 Major works composed (or completed) during this period: On the Grace of Christ and Original Sin (De gratia Christi et de peccato originali, 418) On Marriage and Concupiscence (De nuptiis et concupiscentia, 419–421) On the Trinity (De Trinitate, completed: 419 or 420) On the Soul and Its Origin (De anima et eius origine, 419–420) Against Gaudentius (Contra Gaudentium Donatistarum episcopum, 419) Against Two Letters of the Pelagians (Contra duas epistulas Pelagianorum, 421) Against Julian (Contra Julianum, 421) Enchiridion (Enchiridion, c. 421–422)
423 Affair of Antoninus of Fussala
426 Travels to Milevis to settle succession of Severus
426 Announces retirement; Eraclius nominated as Augustine's successor
426–428 Major works composed (or completed) during this period: On Grace and Free Will (De gratia et libero arbitrio, 426–427) On Admonition and Grace (De correptione et gratia, 426–427) On the City of God (De civitate Dei, completed c. 426) Reconsiderations (Retractationes, 426–427) On Christian Teaching, Bk. 4 (De doctrina christiana, completed 427) On Heresies (De haeresibus, 428)
427 Revolt of Count Boniface
446 Chronology
427 Public disputation against the Arian Maximinus; published as: Debate with Maximinus (Conlatio cum Maximino Arianorum episcopo, 427–428)
428 Receives letter from Prosper of Aquitaine about complaints in Gaul
428–430 Final writings: On the Predestination of the Saints (De praedestinatione sanctorum, 428–429) On the Gift of Perseverance (De dono perseverantiae, 428–429) Against Julian, an Unfinished Work (Contra Julianum opus imperfectum, 429–430)
430 Vandals lay siege to Hippo
430 (Aug. 28) Death of Augustine
431 Council of Ephesus condemns Pelagianism !
Note: Pierre-Marie Hombert, in his Nouvelles recherches de chronologie augustinienne (2000), has argued that in light of the recent discoveries of the Divjak letters and the Dolbeau sermons, there needs to be a thorough revision of the dating of Augustine's works, especially from his mid-career. Of the works listed above, Hombert has proposed the following modifications: Confessions 397–400 (for Bks. 1–9), 403 (for Bks. 10–13)
Against Faustus, a Manichee 400–402
On Catechizing Beginners 403
On the Trinity 400–403 (Bk. 1), 411–422 (Bks. 2–15)
Against the Letter of Parmenian 403–404
Letters 54–55 403
On the Good of Marriage 403–404
Literal Interpretation of Genesis 404–405 (Bks. 1–3a), 412–414 (Bks. 3b–12)
Against the Letters of Petilian 400–401 (Bks. 1–2), 403–405 (Bk. 3)
Suggestions for Further Reading
Life of Augustine
The starting point for any study of Augustine is Peter Brown's landmark biography, Augustine of Hippo: A Biography, rev. ed. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000). Originally published in 1968, this brilliant work, written in masterful prose and with masterful insights, brings alive all the richly human tensions and depths of Augustine's personality and the intricacies of his world. The 2000 revised edition has added chapters that discuss the newly discovered Dolbeau sermons and Divjak letters. Also excellent is Serge Lancel, Saint Augustine, trans. Antonia Nevill (London: SCM Press, 2002). Lancel's work has its distinctive strengths: an extraordinary command of the archeological data from Roman North Africa; cogent analyses of the course of the Donatist controversy, especially the Conference in Carthage in 411; overviews of each of Augustine's major works. See also: Bonner, Gerald. "Augustinus (uita)." In Augustinus-Lexikon, 1:519–50. Ed. Cornelius
Mayer. Basel: Schwabe, 1986. Chadwick, Henry. Augustine of Hippo: A Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Harrison, Carol. "Augustine." In The Early Christian World, 2:1205–27. Ed. Philip
Esler. New York: Routledge, 2001. Marrou, Henri. Saint Augustine and His Influence Through the Ages. Trans. Patrick
Hepburn-Scott. 1957; reprint in Personalities of the Early Church, ed. Everett Ferguson, 271–352. New York: Garland Publishing, 1993.
Theology of Augustine
Augustine's theology is so rich and so many-sided that it is difficult to survey well within a single volume. It is easier, in some ways, to absorb Augustine's thought topic by topic, controversy by controversy. Therefore, the more focused studies listed under Chapters 6–10 may provide easier starting points. Nonetheless, there are several one-volume surveys of Augustine's theology that may prove helpful for first-time readers of Augustine. One up-to-date survey is Carol Harrison's Augustine: Christian Truth and Fractured Humanity, Christian Theology in Context (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000). A helpful, though somewhat dated, overview is Gerald Bonner's