St. Augustine

Augustine of Hippo (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" >/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" >ɔːˈɡʌstɨn</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" >/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-1" >[1]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-OED-2" >[2]</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" >/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Help:IPA for English" >ˈɔːɡəstɪn</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" title="Help:IPA for English" >/</a>;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-OED-2" >[2]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_language" title="Latin language" class="mw-redirect" >Latin</a>: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-3" >[3]</a> 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine or Saint Austin,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-4" >[4]</a> was an early Christian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theologian" title="Theologian" class="mw-redirect" >theologian</a> whose writings were very influential in the development of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity" title="Western Christianity" >Western Christianity</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophy" title="Western philosophy" >Western philosophy</a>. He was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop" title="Bishop" >bishop</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippo_Regius" title="Hippo Regius" >Hippo Regius</a> (present-day <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annaba" title="Annaba" >Annaba</a>, Algeria) located in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province" title="Roman province" >Roman province</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa(Roman_province)" title="Africa (Roman province)" >Africa</a>. Writing during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patristics" title="Patristics" >Patristic Era</a>, he is viewed as one of the most important <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathers" title="Church Fathers" >Church Fathers</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity" title="Western Christianity" >West</a>. Among his most important works are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_God(book)" title="City of God (book)" >City of God</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions(St.Augustine)" title="Confessions (St. Augustine)" >Confessions</a>, which continue to be read widely today.

According to his contemporary, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome" title="Jerome" >Jerome</a>, Augustine "established anew the ancient Faith."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-5" >[5]</a> In his early years, he was heavily influenced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manichaeism" title="Manichaeism" >Manichaeism</a> and afterward by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Platonism" title="Neo-Platonism" class="mw-redirect" >Neo-Platonism</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plotinus" title="Plotinus" >Plotinus</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-Oxford:Platonism-6" >[6]</a> After his conversion to Christianity and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and different perspectives.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-7" >[7]</a> Believing that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_(Christianity)" title="Grace (Christianity)" >grace of Christ</a> was indispensable to human freedom, he helped to formulate the doctrine of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_sin" title="Original sin" >original sin</a> and made seminal contributions to the development of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory" title="Just war theory" >just war theory</a>.

When the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Roman_Empire" title="Western Roman Empire" >Western Roman Empire</a> began to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholicism" title="Catholicism" >Catholic Church</a> as a spiritual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jerusalem#Christianity" title="New Jerusalem" >City of God</a> (in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_God_(book)" title="City of God (book)" >a book of the same name</a>), distinct from the material Earthly City.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-CC-8" >[8]</a> His thoughts profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Augustine's City of God was closely identified with the segment of the Church that adhered to the concept of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity" title="Trinity" >Trinity</a> as defined by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea" title="First Council of Nicaea" >Council of Nicaea</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Constantinople" title="First Council of Constantinople" >Council of Constantinople</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-9" >[9]</a>

In the Catholic Church and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglican_Communion" title="Anglican Communion" >Anglican Communion</a>, he is a saint, a pre-eminent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_the_Church" title="Doctor of the Church" >Doctor of the Church</a>, and the patron of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustinians" title="Augustinians" >Augustinians</a>. His memorial is celebrated on 28 August, the day of his death. He is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patron_saint" title="Patron saint" >patron saint</a> of brewers, printers, theologians, the alleviation of sore eyes, and a number of cities and dioceses.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-KnoYrSaint-10" >[10]</a> Many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism" >Protestants</a>, especially <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism" title="Calvinism" >Calvinists</a>, consider him to be one of the theological fathers of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation" title="Protestant Reformation" >Protestant Reformation</a> due to his teachings on<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvation" title="Salvation" >salvation</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_grace" title="Divine grace" >divine grace</a>.

In the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Christianity" title="Eastern Christianity" >East</a>, many of his teachings are not accepted. The most important doctrinal controversy surrounding his name is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filioque" title="Filioque" >filioque</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-11" >[11]</a> Other doctrines that are sometimes unacceptable are his view of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_sin" title="Original sin" >original sin</a>, the doctrine of grace, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination" title="Predestination" >predestination</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-12" >[12]</a> Nonetheless, though considered to be mistaken on some points, he is still considered a saint, and his feast day is celebrated on 15 June.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-13" >[13]</a> He carries the additional title of Blessed among the Orthodox, either as "Blessed Augustine" or "St. Augustine the Blessed."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#cite_note-14" >[14]</a>

St. Augustine

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