My Second Book on Augustine Is Now Free

 

Reason, Authority, and the Healing of Desire in the Writings of Augustine is now free in PDF form.  You can find it here.

It’s a good intro to Augustine, even if I say so myself.  Basically, Augustine thinks reason and authority are two complementary methods of getting to the truth, and four topics he investigates a lot are apologetics (defense of the faith), ethics, metaphysics and the problem of evil, and the relationship of God and the soul.

That means the eight books charted below make a great cross-section of his writings.  In my book, I explain how he gives a Christian theology of desire in these books–an account of what we should desire to be happy, what we desire instead, how it all went wrong, and how it gets fixed.

I have a third Augustine book on the way. More on that later.

Apologetics Ethics The Problem of Evil God and the Soul
Reason De Vera Religione

On the True Religion

De Natura Boni

On the Nature of the Good

De Libero Arbitrio

On the Free Choice of the Will

De Magistro

On the Teacher

Authority De Utilitate Credendi

On the Usefulness of Believing

De Bono Coniugali

On the Good of Marriage

Enchiridion

Enchiridion / Handbook

Confessiones

Confessions

.

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  1. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Is it true that Augustine wrote quatrains and predicted the Great Fire of London?

    • #1
  2. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

    Is it true that Augustine wrote quatrains and predicted the Great Fire of London?

    Off the top of my head, nothing comes to mind.

    Boethius sure wrote poetry though.

    No, wait. I believe Augustine did write some simple poetry critiquing the Donatists.  I don’t know anything about its structure.

    • #2
  3. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    I appreciate the availability of the free download very much, and have started reading. I may have had a start earlier into this series but I can’t remember.  I find philosophy books very hard to read so I may have given it up after a brief effort.  Easy to guess why someone would have that problem, and in my case it’s easy to guess wrong and unlikely someone would guess right, but it doesn’t matter what the reason is. It’s my problem.

    I don’t think I’ve mentioned that the topic of Desire is precisely the focus of the recent sermons of the preacher at the church I am attending and hoping to join.  These lessons have started to affect my understanding and faith rather deeply; I wonder if this book notice is merely coincidence without purpose.

    Best wishes for the success of the book!

    • #3
  4. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Mark Camp (View Comment):

    I appreciate the availability of the free download very much, and have started reading. I may have had a start earlier into this series but I can’t remember. I find philosophy books very hard to read so I may have given it up after a brief effort. Easy to guess why someone would have that problem, and in my case it’s easy to guess wrong and unlikely someone would guess right, but it doesn’t matter what the reason is. It’s my problem.

    I don’t think I’ve mentioned that the topic of Desire is precisely the focus of the recent sermons of the preacher at the church I am attending and hoping to join. These lessons have started to affect my understanding and faith rather deeply; I wonder if this book notice is merely coincidence without purpose.

    Best wishes for the success of the book!

    This is success, or at least a measure of it, of the sort I’m interested in.  If people can read it, I’m happy.

    I do try to make it readable.

    And I suppose we could call this a series.  A trilogy at present.  The first one is not free, but it’s cheap on Kindle.

    • #4
  5. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    If people can read it, I’m happy.

    I do try to make it readable.

    Yeah, it is a very good guess, but I have trouble reading philosophy books that most people don’t.  I’m not much of a people but don’t know what I am, instead.  The wife and kids could probably tell a researcher, should one get a government grant to investigate the question.  I had a buddy in college who later got married and I think both he and his wife probably could also find a good spot on the taxonomy chart for my type.  Or it might be not just a spot, like one rectangle for var. Camperonii, but one of those scraggly vertical structures like Ginkgophyta Ginkgoopsida Ginkgoales Ginkgoaceae, genus Ginkgo, species ginkgo.  A living fossil.

    I have learned coping strategies and I’m optimistic I will be able to finish the book if I live long enough.

    • #5
  6. Mark A., Dubious Authority Inactive
    Mark A., Dubious Authority
    @MarkAlexander

    Thank you, Sir, may I have another?

    • #6
  7. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Mark A., Dubious Authority (View Comment):

    Thank you, Sir, may I have another?

    The first and third Augustine books might have to wait for the copyrights to expire.

    • #7
  8. MiMac Thatcher
    MiMac
    @MiMac

    Thanks- I will have to get on it- am currently reading The City  of God (been saying I have got to read it for years- did the Great Courses on it a few years ago& that was very good). Have you read his De Trinitate-also on my reading list (which always seems to lengthen)?

    • #8
  9. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    MiMac (View Comment):

    Thanks- I will have to get on it- am currently reading The City of God (been saying I have got to read it for years- did the Great Courses on it a few years ago& that was very good). Have you read his De Trinitate-also on my reading list (which always seems to lengthen)?

    In fact, no. I am a loser.

    • #9
  10. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    So it’s an autobiography?

    • #10
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