(Kirchengeschichtliche Quellen und Studien 4; St. Ottilien, 1960) 163-195.
14 On Genesis
(Books 1-9), he decided, in addition, to confess God as creator of the universe. The philosophical and spiritual depth of his reflections give this interpretation of Genesis its originality. Then, while finishing the Confessions, Augustine began his fourth commentary, on which he labored for about fifteen years (401-416). The title, The Literal Meaning of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram), shows his intention of explaining Genesis 1-3 literally and not allegorically. To these four treatments is to be added Book XI of City of God; here, around 4 1 6, the bishop of Hippo produced a more specialized commentary on the creation of the angels, since in his view the city of God originated in that creation.
Augustine also dealt with the subject of creation at the beginning of his Answer to an Enemy of the Law and the Prophets (Contra Adversarium legis et prophetarum, 4 19-420),3 in his writings on the creed, that is, in Faith and the
Creed (De fide et symbolo) and in Faith, Hope, and Charity (De fide, spe et caritate),* in his anti-Pelagian works Answer to Julian (Contra lulianum) and
Unfinished Work in Answer to Julian (Contra lulianum opus imperfectum),5 but also in his catechetical, liturgical, and pastoral instructions (On the Creed, to Catechumens [De symbolo ad catechumenos]; Sermon 212; 214).6
Why did Augustine's mind thus constantly return to the subject of creation? First of all, his religious genius made the relationship between his self and God the focus of all his thinking. As the well-known words of the Soliloquies tell us, "I want to know God and the soul. Nothing else? Absolutely nothing else!"7 Even in his prayer his desire found expression: "O God who are ever the same, l want to know myself, I want to know you."8
But there is an ontological basis for this religious relationship between man and God that Augustine experienced with such intensity and thought about so constantly. The reality of creation and the relationship between creature and creator underlie all religious acts. In the course of his conversion Augustine gained an existential awareness of the meaning of creation.9 During his break with Manicheism, his assimilation of Neoplatonic ideas, and his final turn to the Church he realized ever more fully and deeply that he had been created by God and that he possessed his own being only within a relationship to the creator. Since God is Being itself, on which all being depends, it is possible for human
3. See R. J. Teske, "Problems with "The Beginning' in Augustine's Sixth Commentary on Genesis," The University of Dayton Review 22 ( 1994) 55-67. 4. See C. Eichenseer, Das Symbolum Apostoiicum beim Heiligen Augustinus (Kirchengeschichtliche Quellen und Studien 4; St. Ottilien, 1960) 163-195. 5. See E. TeSelle, "Nature and Grace in Augustine's Expositions of Genesis 1, 1-5," Recherches Augustiniennes 5 ( 1 968) 951 37. 6. See H. Rondet, "La theologie de saint Augustin pr£dicateur,"Bu//efi>i de literature ecclesiastique 72 (1971) 81-105, especially 85-78, 90-93. 7. Soliloquies. 1, 2, 7 (CSEL 89, 1 1 ). 8. 1bid., 11, 1, 1 (CSEL 89, 45). 9. See Vannier, "Creatio" (note 1, above), 20-66, 175-179.