Overview

Confessions was written by the man who is now known as Saint Augustine or Augustine of Hippo, but who was born as Aurelius Augustinus in 354 CE in Roman North Africa (now eastern Algeria). His Confessions was published around 397 CE. The work is part an autobiography and part a philosophical notebook. Both of these aspects of Confessions trace Augustine’s spiritual and philosophical journey as he encounters, explores, and sometimes adopts a variety of approaches to life before fully embracing Christianity and developing aspects of Catholic theology that have in turn guided others in the centuries since.

In the centuries since his death in 430 CE, Augustine’s ideas—captured in Confessions, The City of God, and other works—have interested and influenced students of philosophy just as much as they have impacted theologians.

Read the overall summary, the overall analysis, and explanations of important quotes from Confessions.

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