So, uh....now what? -- Breanna Poole
by Breanna Poole
Book Nine -- Eleven in particular took me on a wild ride guys. I still find the language to be amazing, but as I get further along in the book the more I just find Augustine to be grating. I understand this is a book of confessions -- given that it is the literal title of the book -- but at the same time, Augustine comes off as bragging at some points about how far he's come or about he is saved and others are not.
But one passage from Book Nine really struck with me -- "As I read, I was set on fire, but I did not discover what to do for the deaf and dead of whom I had been one, when I was a plague, a bitter and blind critic barking at the scriptures which drip with the honey of heaven and blaze with your light," (Book Nine, Chapter 11). To me, Augustine seems almost helpless in these lines. He obviously at this point is very involved in his faith and is actively trying to participate as an acting Christian, but his tone here is just so....I don't want to say relatable (side note: I am 74.7% sure that relatable is spelled correctly, but my computer wont's recognize the word, so please tell me if it's actually spelled incorrectly), but that is kinda what it sounds like to me.
He later on the books talks about how he learned to spread the gospel and what impact that had, but these lines really spoke to me in a way no other part of this reading did. Augustine is discussing what happens next, what are you supposed to do after you became a Christian. You're supposed to then turn around and spread the love of Jesus, but more often than not many people aren't really quite sure how they're supposed to go about doing that. Augustine put into words very eloquently something all Christians face after they accept Jesus into their lives and their hearts.
Now what?
Augustine is confused on how to go about spreading the faith and how best to do that. Many people feel trapped, just like Augustine does, like they don't know how they could ever help anyone through their faith. It's a problem and a conflict I'm glad Augustine talks about, because it's a subject that not many people will talk about. Some people remain unsure what to do or how to spread the message of the Lord, and though it seems to me that Augustine eventually finds away, not all do.
P.S. I commented on AnnaKate and Gray's posts.
Book Nine -- Eleven in particular took me on a wild ride guys. I still find the language to be amazing, but as I get further along in the book the more I just find Augustine to be grating. I understand this is a book of confessions -- given that it is the literal title of the book -- but at the same time, Augustine comes off as bragging at some points about how far he's come or about he is saved and others are not.
But one passage from Book Nine really struck with me -- "As I read, I was set on fire, but I did not discover what to do for the deaf and dead of whom I had been one, when I was a plague, a bitter and blind critic barking at the scriptures which drip with the honey of heaven and blaze with your light," (Book Nine, Chapter 11). To me, Augustine seems almost helpless in these lines. He obviously at this point is very involved in his faith and is actively trying to participate as an acting Christian, but his tone here is just so....I don't want to say relatable (side note: I am 74.7% sure that relatable is spelled correctly, but my computer wont's recognize the word, so please tell me if it's actually spelled incorrectly), but that is kinda what it sounds like to me.
He later on the books talks about how he learned to spread the gospel and what impact that had, but these lines really spoke to me in a way no other part of this reading did. Augustine is discussing what happens next, what are you supposed to do after you became a Christian. You're supposed to then turn around and spread the love of Jesus, but more often than not many people aren't really quite sure how they're supposed to go about doing that. Augustine put into words very eloquently something all Christians face after they accept Jesus into their lives and their hearts.
Augustine is confused on how to go about spreading the faith and how best to do that. Many people feel trapped, just like Augustine does, like they don't know how they could ever help anyone through their faith. It's a problem and a conflict I'm glad Augustine talks about, because it's a subject that not many people will talk about. Some people remain unsure what to do or how to spread the message of the Lord, and though it seems to me that Augustine eventually finds away, not all do.
P.S. I commented on AnnaKate and Gray's posts.
The church is criminally guilty of not teaching people HOW to present the Gospel, unfortunately... But I like what Augustine did: he simply started using his gift. God gave him an intellect, so he put it to use for God's service. Just teaching people in his unique fashion produced books still highly regarded over a one-and-a-half-thousand years later. If more people engaged the culture using their art, their writing, their teaching ability, or their whatever to prompt honest discussion about Christ, the church might be growing much more quickly.
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