Letters 1-99

by Augustine of Hippo, Roland J. Teske (Editor)

First of four volumes of the complete set of Letters by Saint Augustine, in new translation.

Genres: Religion

432 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Early church father and philosopher Saint Augustine served from 396 as the bishop of Hippo in present-day Algeria and through such writings as the autobiographical Confessions in 397 and the voluminous City of God from 413 to 426 profoundly influenced Christianity, argued against Manichaeism and Donatism, and helped to establish the doctrine of original sin.

An Augustinian follows the principles and doctrines of Saint Augustine.

People also know Aurelius Augustinus in English of Regius (Annaba). From the Africa province of the Roman Empire, people generally consider this Latin theologian of the greatest thinkers of all times. He very developed the west. According to Jerome, a contemporary, Augustine renewed "the ancient Faith."

The Neo-Platonism of Plotinus afterward heavily weighed his years. After conversion and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to theology and accommodated a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed in the indispensable grace to human freedom and framed the concept of just war. When the Western Roman Empire started to disintegrate from the material earth, Augustine developed the concept of the distinct Catholic spirituality in a book of the same name. He thought the medieval worldview. Augustine closely identified with the community that worshiped the Trinity. The Catholics and the Anglican communion revere this preeminent doctor. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider his due teaching on salvation and divine grace of the theology of the Reformation. The Eastern Orthodox also consider him. He carries the additional title of blessed. The Orthodox call him "Blessed Augustine" or "Saint Augustine the Blessed."

Santo Agostinho

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most interesting material in these letters is the running debate between Augustine and Jerome over the propriety of translating the Old Testament out of the original Hebrew. Jerome insisted on the purity of the original, while Augustine insisted upon the authority of the Greek Septuagint.

[Jason Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great insight into Augustine and his times. Very worthwhile reading.

The edition is solid. Well translated for the 21st century. And the summaries at the beginning of each letter are very helpful in understanding what's happening.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Augustine's earlier correspondence, which, like most of his earlier work, is more accessible to moderns than his later works written as a Church official. I read this for a class on Augustine taught at Loyola University Chicago during the first semester of 1981/2.