Augustine's Manichees

I really enjoyed reading your discussion post. I agree that Augustine philosophy and theology still impact the church today. Christianity is a journal and it does take years to understand the scriptures and how they relate to our Christian walk with Christ. Christians are commanded to witness to people and impact their lives. Ferguson states, “The presbyter Simplicians took on Augustine as his personal project. Augustine read the commentary on Paul written by Marius Victorinus, who had been converted in 355 from Neoplatonism to Christianity.” We as Christians must minister to people and help them changed their lives so that they can have a relationship with Christ.

Mankind must by this time have acquired positive beliefs as to the effects of some actions on their happiness; and the beliefs which have thus come down are the rules of morality for the multitude, and for the philosopher until he has succeeded in finding better. That philosophers might easily do this, even now, on many subjects; that the received code of ethics is by no means of divine right; and that mankind have still much to learn as to the effects of actions on general happiness, I admit or rather earnestly maintain.

Other than the beggars themselves Juan Luis Vives, a Spanish humanist from the Spanish Netherlands that is of assistance to the “poor” has viewed the lives of those in poor conditions (document 1). He briefly explains the actions that these “poor” people have to take in order to earn a living by stating that without means of subsistence they are driven to robbery in the city and on the highways, others commit theft stealthily, while women set aside chastity and put it on sale. Although Vives hasn't specifically seen the way they live in poor conditions or the suffrage that has been presented. Vibes has single handedly witnessed the struggles they have endured throughout the years centuries. Rembrandt van Rijn from the Netherlands created a visual titled the Beggars Receiving Alms at the door of a House in 1648 where he illustrates a family receiving alms from an old man (document 6). In the image Rijn demonstrates how the poor families who were in search for alms would take their offspring's along with them hoping the people had sympathy for them. Europeans lower classes decided to take many actions regarding poverty, many took the right path to improve their lives while others practically let their lives sweep away with crimes and laziness. There are two kinds of poor those who beg and expect others to fix their economic standing and those who work and climb up the economic ladder with no help from

Surprised by Joy by Lewis and Confessions by Augustine are not two works that are often analyzed side by side although they are both autobiographical and written by men greatly influential to the Christian faith. Since Confessions contains many different elements which Augustine explores to better understand the nature of God, this paper will focus on Augustine’s section “Happiness (Beatta Vita)” as compared and contrasted with Lewis’ chapters “Checkmate” and “Beginning”. A preliminary glance of these works may lead the reader to think that they are very similar, despite the differences in publishing time, Surprised By Joy was published in 1955, while Confessions was published in 398 AD. This is not entirely false, as both “Checkmate”, “Beginning” and “Happiness” are all largely focused on the relationship of God and joy and utilize a similar structure. Although Augustine and Lewis’ four-part structure initially appears complimentary because of similar themes, these structures contrast as a result of differing allegories.

Both Plato and Augustine offer unusual conceptions of what one must acquire to live a truly happy life. While the conventional view of happiness normally pertains to wealth, financial stability, and material possessions, Plato and Augustine suggest that true happiness is rooted in something independent of objects or people. Though dissimilar in their notions of that actual root, each respective philosophy views the attaining of that happiness as a path, a direction. Plato’s philosophy revolves around the attainment of eternal knowledge and achieving a metaphysical balance. Augustine also emphasizes one’s knowing the eternal, though his focus is upon living in humility before God. Both assert that human beings possess a natural desire

The concept of happiness has eluded philosophers and intellectuals since the beginning of mankind’s ability to reason; though many have attempted to create overarching theories regarding the phenomenon, all have fallen short of grasping the dual nature of its formation: both demanding of hard work and of faith in some higher, seemingly transcendent force. Giorgio Agamben’s piece “Magic and Happiness,” an excerpt from his work Profanations, is no exception. The passage argues in favor of a belief in “magic,” a divine and all-encompassing force that presents, in his opinion, the solitary path towards true happiness. His argument, formed around the notion that persistent effort and achievement ultimately cannot yield happiness in the long

Machiavelli disagrees with Augustine’s idea of a prince’s happiness. He see the true source of happiness as a prince perusing every lust and desire he has and doing everything he can to

In the Confessions by Saint Augustine, this great philosopher experiences many problems and emotions related to sin and evil. As a boy, he often felt darkness, blindness, and confusion while attempting to find rest in God. Augustine started out in childhood with a restless heart because he had to live in two different worlds. These worlds consisted of his mother’s Christian faith, and the world of everything else. These two worlds confused and disturbed Augustine as a child. Augustine’s father was pagan and his mother was Christian, and they both wanted him to be very successful in the world. As he became confused, he began asking questions that could not be answered such as, “Humans often feel restless, but what is it they need to feel at

Saint Augustine, The City of God,tr. J.W. Leedom; reprinted in C. Warren Hollister et al., eds,

Augustine of Hippo was a bishop. He was the author of The city of God. He lived in between the years 354 - 430 ACE. He claims that humans cannot achieve happiness in this lifetime. Therefore, that happiness can only be achieved through God. Moreover, philosophers at the time believed that they could achieve happiness by their own efforts.I agree with Augustine, that as humans, we cannot truly achieve happiness without the help of God. His claim is valid to me because as humans we face many obstacles that stop us from achieving happiness. Things such as illnesses and the failing of the body. Correspondingly, happiness might be defined as: pleasure, rest, a combination of pleasure and res, and the primary objects of nature which are the health of the body and mind. It can also be defined as exercising the virtues. The virtues are the following: temperance, which is the moderation of the bodily pleasures. Prudence or practical wisdom, which allows one to distinguish between good and bad, and make the right decision. Justice, which is to give

In the United States, St. Augustine is the oldest settlement of European origin which has been continuously occupied. It was founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, a Spanish conquistador. The isolated outpost of St Augustine enjoyed a peaceful coexistence with the Native Americans which provided stability to the small province for a few years. The town would soon suffer at the hands of Sir Frances Drake, who in 1586 sacked and burned St. Augustine. 100 years later, sixty people were killed by Robert Searle, an English buccaneer who attacked the small province, pillaged churches, homes and government buildings.

In Augustine’s article “Virtue and the Human Soul,” happiness is discussed in great detail. What makes a man happy? How do we obtain this happiness and where does

Over the course of time there have been a multitude of philosophers that have claimed to find the true meaning of happiness. One of these philosophers was Epicurus who originally studied “sensual pleasure” and then moved to a discussion on one’s inner happiness through friendship, freedom, and thought. The Consolation of Philosophy tracks Epicurus’s evolution of philosophical ideas throughout his lifetime to express to the reader how to create a happy and healthy life.

Both Plato and Augustine offer unusual conceptions of what one must acquire to live a truly happy life. While the conventional view of happiness normally pertains to wealth, financial stability, and material possessions, Plato and Augustine suggest that true happiness is rooted in something independent of objects or people. Though dissimilar in their notions of that actual root, each respective philosophy views the attaining of

Human nature is a complex system that has many layers of its composition. With this, we tend to often ask ourselves “what consistencies are evident in the activity of happiness?” Happiness is presented to us in a variety of forms that point us in the direction of having the same end result. Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Lewis each provided their own unique views on the accounts of happiness that are portrayed through human nature. With this, there are consistent principles of human nature that relate to happiness through being self-absorbed, finding pleasure, obedient, and moral.