St. Augustine, Greatest Theologian From Roman

Augustine, who lived in those years when the Roman Empire was declining, there is no doubt the greatest theologian of his day. His writings were very basic and the influence of Christian doctrine and attitudes throughout the Middle Ages remained unaffected even today.
Born in the city 354 years Tagaste (now called Souk-Ahras in Algeria),
approximately forty-five miles south of the largest coastal city of Hippo (now Annaba). His father was a not a religion, and his mother a devout Christian. As a child he was not baptized.
Even at the time of Augustine's adult intelligence was impressive and at the age of sixteen he was sent to Carthago to study. There he had a mistress and illegitimate children. At age nineteen he decided to study philosophy. Shortly after that he became adherent Manicheism, "religion" founded around the year 240 by a "prophet" named Mani. Make the young Augustine, Christianity had no quality while Manicheism absurd. However, the time interval of the next nine years, he gradually began to realize what it was Manicheism. And when age twenty-nine foot, he moved to Rome. Just a moment there he moved back to Milan in northern Italy. Here he became professor of rhetoric. It was here that he began to meet with the schools of Neoplatonism, the version of Plato's philosophy improvements that have been developed by Plotinus in the 3rd century.

Milan Biskop time St. Ambrose, Augustine listened to some sermons are introduced to a new understanding of Christianity and aspects of the more valuable. At the age of thirty-two Augustine became Christians, so that people who had been in doubt has become a devout follower. 387 years Augustine was baptized by Ambrose and after that he returned to his hometown Tagaste.

391 years became assistant biskop Augustine of Hippo. When five years later he died biskop, Augustine is now forty-two years of his place. And he sat in office until the end of life.

Although the city of Hippo was not significant, brilliance Augustine so prominent that in the short time he became one of the respected leaders in the church. Augustine's body condition is not perfect, so he was assisted by the author quickly and in a way that he wrote many religious articles. Approximately 500 written advice is still found today, following 200 papers. Of all his books, two of them very influential Masyur and The City of God and Confessions. The latter is the best autobiographical book ever made when the old man into the forties.

Many of Augustine's letters and advice, spiritual advice is intended to deny the schools of Manicheism, adherents Donastis (a Christian sect of apostasy), and the Pelagians (church dissidents at the time). Opposition to the Pelagians form an important part of religious doctrine and Augustine. Pelagius was a British clergyman who came to visit to Rome around the year 400 and there to spread various interesting theological doctrine. Each of us - said Pelagius - it is not burdened with original sin is inborn, and each of us has the freedom to choose good and evil. With a straightforward life and good work, each person will be relieved of the burden of sin.

Some because of the influence of the writings of Augustine, Pelagius's view faham labeled as deviant, and Pelagius himself (who have been expelled from Rome) ostracized. According to Augustine, all tainted by the sin of Adam. Humans can not obtain forgiveness of sins berkesanggupan solely through their own efforts and good work: the blessing and the blessing of God is important in terms of forgiveness of sins. A similar opinion was never expressed one, but Augustine clarify and strengthen the writings of the church position in this aspect of the day and then hold onto.

Augustine assumes that God's knowing who's going to be saved and who is not, and some of us are destined to be saved. Comments about this destiny to be developed and influential through the opinions of theologians such as St. followed later. Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin.

Perhaps more important than the doctrine of Augustine's fate is related to attitudes to sex. When he embraced Christianity, Augustine had taken the decision that for his own need to stay away from sex. (Once he wrote, "Nothing is more important to avoid than sex"). In the implementation of this resistance prove how difficult for Augustine. Both his personal struggles and his views on this issue were presented at length in his Confessions (Confession). He gave sight here - because of the large influence of Augustine - determines the formation of a strong attitude toward the medieval attitude toward sex. Augustine's writings related to each other between the "innate sin" and the desire for sex.

Augustine in his lifetime, the Roman Empire was declining with the rush. The proof, in the year 410 of Rome was occupied by the Visigoths under Alaric. Of course, the remnants of the Roman people who do not believe in God assume that the Roman gods doomed because they embraced the new Christian religion. Augustine's famous book The City of God, partly a Christian defense against these charges. The book also contains historical philosophy, which ultimately affect the development of Europe. Augustine asserted the opinion that the Roman Empire did not have the basic meaning is important, as well as the city of Rome, and so did the city anywhere on earth. Really important is the growth of "Heavenly City", the spiritual progress of humanity. Tools for this progress is, of course, churches. ( "There is no forgiveness outside the church"). Therefore, the emperor, neither he nor Christian pagan or barbarian, is not as important as the pope or the church.

Even though Augustine himself did not make the final step, the drive of his argument allows the conclusion that the formation of the present rulers must be under the Pope. The Pope was cheered century at this conclusion, and his doctrine became the basis long-term conflict between church and state which characterized European history for centuries.

Augustine's writings is the successor of factors specific aspects of Greek philosophy into the middle of the century European philosophy. In particular, the powerful influence of Neoplatonism maturity thinking Augustine, and through Augustine church influence medieval philosophy. And quite interesting to note that Augustine describes his ideas before Descartes' famous statement, "I think, therefore I exist." Of course in different languages.

Augustine is the greatest Christian theologians of the last before the dark centuries, and the work of church doctrine led to his writing in all the basics, and in rough shape, as long as the Middle Ages. He was the most prominent of the founders of the Latin church, and his thoughts and read widely diffused among the clergy. This view of forgiveness, sex, original sin. or innate sin and many more basic problems with each other have an influential relationship. Many Catholic theologians such as St. behind the day. Aquinas, as well as Protestant leaders like Luther and Calvin took water effects.

Augustine died in 430 at Hippo at the age of seventy-six years. The Vandals, a barbarian tribes invaded and ransacked the Roman Empire, was besieging the city of Hippo at the time. A month later they occupied the city and destroyed. However, Augustine church library and avoid catastrophe. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.