St. Augustine

St. Augustine was the bishop of Hippo (now Annaba, Algeria) from 396 to 430. A renowned theologian and prolific writer, he was also a skilled preacher and rhetorician. He is one of the Latin Fathers of the Church and, in Roman Catholicism, is formally recognized as a doctor of the church.

St. Augustine is perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. He adapted Classical thought to Christian teaching and created a powerful theological system of lasting influence. He also shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.

More than five million words of St. Augustine’s writings survive, ranging from sermons to theological treatises. Of these, two have had particularly lasting influence: The City of God and Confessions. The former is a philosophical defense of Christianity that outlines a new way to understand human society, and the latter is largely a spiritual self-examination.