Historical Background
St Augustine of Hippo is an
epitome of Christian world and culture.
Most scholars believed that he is much influenced by Platonism and
Neo-Platonism, which were then part of the Hellenic culture and philosophy. The Hellenic (or the Greek) culture died out
when Rome conquered Greece and some neighboring states in the Mediterranean
region including Nazareth (then part of Judea) –the natal place of Christ.
The dominant Roman culture was characterized
by legalism in that laws, not philosophy, governed the life of the Romans. At the height of the Roman power and culture,
Christianity emerged as a religious community regarded by some Roman leaders as
deterrent to the unity of the vast empire.
During these times, all apostles of Christ, except John (the youngest
apostle) were martyred; many other devout followers of Christ were martyred as
well. But when Christianity became the
official religion in the Roman empire, great scholars and philosophers sprouted
within Christian religion. One of them
was St Augustine of Hippo, who is considered as one of the Fathers of the
Church. He is known as the Father of the
Church because he ardently defended the Catholic faith from the attacks of the
Greeks’ pagan culture and philosophy.
One major problem St Augustine
addressed during his times is the pagan philosophy of the Greeks. Christians believed that Christ is the God
incarnate. Christ is the God in human
form. He is 100 percent human and 100
percent God. In the mind of the Greeks,
who are trained to reason out without resort to faith, the idea that God became man is absurd. How could a God who is transcendent, eternal,
all-powerful become a man –a mortal being, subject to decay and destruction? Yet Christians accept this fact or idea by faith, without rationalizing it or
without subjecting it to rational demonstration. Christ himself encouraged his apostles to
believe in him, without a slightest doubt.
“Faith can move mountains,” Christ exhorts his followers. But faith doesn’t fit in the Greek’s culture
and life. Greeks were trained thinkers,
who subject everything to rational demonstration.
As a defender of Catholic faith,
St Augustine struggles to reconcile faith and reason, which is I think the very
heart of the problem. What one can’t
explain using rational demonstration like the idea, “God became man,” has to
take a leap of faith. And, what one has
already accepted by faith can be hinged in the balance of doubt by his
reasoning capability. In the process, St
Augustine has to make use of Greek philosophy to help explain the Christian
faith –thus, making philosophy a handmaid to theology. He finds Plato’s philosophy a right blend to
Christian faith. As some scholars
claimed, St Augustine “christianizes”
Plato’s philosophy. As mentioned, he is
influenced by Platonism and Neo-Platonism.
Hence, we can find some elements of Plato’s thought in our Christian
faith.
My Heart is Restless until It Rests in Thee
Though St Augustine is greatly
influenced by Platonism but we can find some unique and peculiar elements of
his philosophy. One of his important
thoughts is his prayer, “my heart is
restless until it rests in Thee (You), O God,” which is found in his Confession (his greatest work). This beautiful prayer is somehow a conclusion
of a restless –literally “restless,” Augustine, who was born to a pagan
family. In his teenage, he studied
different schools of thought such as Neo-Platonism, Manichaeism, etc. Yet, none of these has satisfied his desire
or longing of his heart to know what truth is.
As a young man, he engaged in exclusive relationships with two
women. Yet, none of them has satisfied
what his heart longs for. His heart
desires or longs for something he knows important like a deer longs for a
stream to quench its thirst. St
Augustine finds it nowhere but in God.
He will find his final rest when he has gone back in the bosom of the
Father. His “restlessness” expires until
he rests in God.
A prayer –coming from the very
depth of the heart of a pagan converted to Christianity is such a meaningful
prayer. A heart which once is a “dry
place” quenches its desire in the glory of God.
Yes, his conversion is not his own labor all alone. His mother, St. Monica, prayed ardently for
his conversion. St. Ambrose, a priest,
also touched his heart for such metanoia.
His philosophy is typically a
Christian one –grounded in a strong faith in God. Some scholars criticize that his thought is
not properly philosophical. It is appropriately theological since it talks about God and his faith in God –the one
who can give him full rest of heart.
However, we cannot discredit the fact that St Augustine was addressing
the problem on how to reconcile faith and reason. In consequence, we can expect that his
philosophy is leading that way –combining reason with faith.
In conclusion, St. Augustine is a
man who willingly submits himself to God –the final fulfillment of our earthly
life.
