Augustine on the Christian Life: Transformed by the Power of God

Theologians on the Christian Life

by Gerald L. Bray, Stephen J. Nichols (Series Editor), Justin Taylor (Series Editor)

Augustine is widely considered to be the most influential theologian in church history after the apostle Paul. Dramatically converted from a life of licentiousness to one of wholehearted devotion to Christ, the humble North African pastor quickly established himself as a leading figure within the ancient church. In Augustine on the Christian Life, historian Gerald Bray explores the rich spirituality of this extraordinary man, examining his historical context, approach to the Christian life, and work as a preacher and teacher of God's Word. Drawing on Augustine's many writings--including his classic spiritual autobiography, the Confessions--Bray demonstrates Augustine's enduring relevance for Christians today.

Part of the Theologians on the Christian Life series.

Genres: Biography, Theology, Christian, History, Christianity, Church History, Christian Living

232 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2015

About the author

Gerald L. Bray (Ph.D., University of Paris--Sorbonne) is director of research for the Latimer Trust, based in London, and a research professor at Samford University, teaching in the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. A priest of the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons. He has edited several volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts, as well as volume one of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, all for IVP Academic. General EditorTimothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) is a renowned Reformation historian and author of Theology of the Reformers, as well as many other theological and historical works. He is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today.

Reviews

[Becky Pliego · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having read Confessions and the City of God by Augustine, this book helped me organize the "big picture" of Augustine's life and theology in my mind. Very helpful.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I really love this series by Crossway - such an excellent way to briefly be introduced to the lives and spirituality of Christians in the past upon whose shoulders we stand. None of the volumes I’ve read so far fall into hagiography, but rather they reflect on the faults and triumphs with equal candour, all saturated in the grace of the gospel. Bray’s contribution to the life of Augustine is really brilliant. Thoroughly recommend.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of the stronger works in this quality series from Crossway--a series I continue to read because I want to, not because I have to. Bray's book comprises only five chapters, so he stuffs a lot of disparate topics into each chapter, sometimes with less than compelling transitions. But it is all excellent. He handles Augustine's interesting biography with aplomb, drawing appropriately from the always fascinating Confessions. But Bray's expertise clearly is far wider than just that work. He references Augustine's sermons and dozens of other books, even while quoting much less than most of the other authors in this series. And his last chapter, "Augustine for Today," is actually a great synopsis of Augustine's theology. It alone might be worth the cost of the book. The one weakness is that Augustine's City of God only received a few pages of this book. I believe this important work has much to say on "the Christian life," and would have appreciated a longer treatment. Nevertheless, I'd recommend Bray's volume to all.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Gerald Brays writings. What I ave read of his has been almost exclusively theology proper. I wondered if this brief volume would concentrate on Augustine's theology (and the effect thereof), however the subtitle rings true. "Transformed by the Power of God" gives a brief survey of Augustine's life and the world in which he lived. The emphasis of the entire book is put in that first word, "transformed." Augustine's writings are marked by his conversion so much time is spent on that moment. There is some work spent on Augustine's two most popular volumes, Confessions and City of God, but also to some of is lesser known volumes. Most of the ink is dedicated to Augustine as pastor, so the sermons of Augustine which are often overlooked are finally given their due.

[David Bruyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing, especially in comparison to some of the other titles in this series, such as the one on Lewis and the one on Edwards. It's as if Bray didn't fully read the exam question. This is a biography combined with an explanation of Augustine's understanding of Christian doctrine. It is not a guide to Augustine's view of the Christian life. For that, rather read Meilaender's "The Way That Leads There".

[Josh Kannard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't find it as enjoyable as the others I've read in the series (Luther and Calvin). Maybe that's because Augustine is a little alien to me and I'm not as much of a fan of him as of the others. However, I'm sure this will be extremely useful for my upcoming class on Calvin, and it has piqued my curiosity to go back and read some of Augustine's writings. Maybe now is the time I pull out my Latin edition of the Confessions 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A striking biography of a broken, sinful, humble man, that was used by God to change the world. Bray was very helpful in bringing out the fruit of Augustine’s life without letting us forget the deficiencies that Augustine fought to overcome in his own life.

[Rohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled with this book. Partially because I don't know what category it is in.

It's not a biography, because he gets his life story over and done with in the first chapter and then goes through different categories to describe Augustine's influence, e.g. as a teacher, a pastor, a believer.
But these kept cycling back to things he said before, such as his view on some of the sects, or his concubine. So it got confusing.

But it was also not just a summary of his teachings, because I felt like it jumped around too much for that.

So all in all, a confusing book, and showed me how hard it is to write such a book! I did get a fuller picture of Augustine, who I didn't really know. But I think I would have appreciated a different structure / category of book.

Some things I did want to remember:
The historical period Augustine lived in was a mixing pot of ideas. The pressures of Christianity now becoming a state religion and how to live now without the threat of persecution (some people just decided to whip)
themselves to simulate that, but Augustine rightly disagreed)
Augustine was a normal human being.
He helped develop the doctrine of the Trinity as God is love.
He was on about the bible as a whole, not just taking things out of context.
Anywho, I'm still glad I read this book, but probably better introductions to Augustine out there.

[Adam Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need to know something about the author to fully appreciate this book. Dr. Bray is by far the smartest person I've ever met. Ever. His ability to have complete recall of a VAST amount of information makes him an amazing teacher and theologian and especially in this case, a great writer. This book is a primer on Augustine and paints a picture of him as an individual, a teacher, and a pastor. But to do that effectively you'd have to have a full grasp of the wealth of material Augustine left behind. This is exactly what Bray has done. In an engaging and succinct format Bray helps us understand the world that Augustine inhabited and how Augustine lived and taught in that world. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is a student of church history, history, or theology.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell asleep a lot while reading this, probably due to having a newborn, though Trueman on Luther did a much better job of keeping me awake under the same circumstances. All that said, it was a very enlightening and spiritually encouraging read, especially Augustine's view of the Trinity and salvation by grace. Bray was a very helpful guide in placing Augustine in his ancient context and in evaluating how later Christians have used him.

Perhaps it could have been written a little more punchily, but I doubt there's a better short intro to Augustine's life and thought.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a somewhat strange book. It was good but it almost felt like it was written by three different authors or three different purposes. Some of it was very simple and straightforward (which is what I was looking for in this case). Some of it was pretty technical (chapter 3). And some of it was practical for pastors. Still there are not many introductions to Augustine out there so its good to have another worthwhile one.

[Austin Hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of bland. I didn't really like it that much. It might be good for someone who was new to Augustine, but if you've read any of his three main books it was mostly a summary of what he believed and taught.

[Marcas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerald Bray gives Augustine a charitable reading with this text. This is refreshing in some ways as it comes in the wake of a number of hit pieces on Augustine in recent decades, especially from some Eastern Orthodox. Alongside those in the Radical Orthodox school and Reformed Catholics like Kevin Vanhoozer, I never found the Eastern Orthodox use of Augustine as a whipping boy overly convincing. Dr Bray rebuts them on Augustine's lack of Greek, and more. He acknowledges that Augustine would often stumble to the truth in large part because of his 'whole counsel of God' perspective. He was familiar with the big picture of the bible. So, even when he erred with the fine print, Gerald says he was still on the right track. I think this is true in some cases but would be skeptical in others.
Vanhoozer, whom I mentioned, offers a richer hermeneutics than Augustine's from what I gathered here. Kevin reads the Old Testament with a transfigured heuristic that I think is more accurate than the great African bishop's earlier one.

While not as antithetical to the Bishop of Hippo as some of those Eastern Orthodox, I do see major problems in Augustine: Including an otherworldly element that I think comes from Neoplatonism rather than the scriptures. Although, that's a problem in a number of 'the fathers'. Even with Bray's nuance, I think Augustine erred in elevating celibacy above marriage and was mistaken on sexuality. It's not just for procreation, nor I would argue even a by-product of the fall. These errors had negative consequences on his concubine and child, even though it was a different age and we don't want to be anachronistic.

However, he did help us to look more inward. That's fine as long as it doesn't end in navel gazing or Cartesian obsessiveness. I don't think they were inevitable. Rather, with Linda Zagzebski, I think we can and should have a place for the exterior, the interior, and the interpersonal.

Some of the stories were funny, such as the one about Augustine preaching for two hours only to realise the congregation were half-asleep, and him having to apologise for going off on one.

While Bray very much wanted to let Augustine speak, and some will see that as a strength, I actually became more interested when he shared some of his own views later in the book.

[Pedro Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Augustine is a name and man that is fairly well known among many Christians — of any denomination. Yet there is so much more to his life and faith that we aren’t aware of. He was a man, teacher, philosopher, theologian, and pastor who truly wrestled with the gospel of Christ — who Christ truly was and the work of the cross.

Augustine is a prime example that knowledge alone will not lead one to confess faith in Christ. He was studiously engaged in philosophy, rhetoric and religion. It was not until he wrestled with the incarnation of Christ and the true meaning and significance of Christ incarnate and His cross that the Spirit of God led him to repentance. What follows is his journey of faith, maturity, repentance, and confession which are essentially all written across his works. The output of work Augustine created was tremendous and his works are one of the most cited and used ancient resources.

Simply put, Augustine loved the Triune God deeply. He thought much of the Trinity and specifically Christ. His hermeneutic for scripture was Christ. The power of God is found in Christ and His rich grace. Christ alone is able to save and transform us. The counterfeits in this world are many but in Christ we see that He alone is truth, life and God. In knowing and walking with God intimately and faithful Augustine could truly say “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very accessible and does, I think, it’s job very well of encouraging the reader to read more Augustine. I come away with a greater understanding for Augustine and his theology and an eagerness to re-read his Confessions. I never knew Augustine did not know Greek as a Latin reader nor understood how that affected his theology and exegesis (having only a poorly translated Latin Bible). I also came away with a greater appreciation for how Augustine’s own journey toward conversion and then following personal journey of faith after conversion played so heavily into his understanding of the Christian life. Not only did he explain the Trinity in terms of a loving relationship but saw faith itself as a loving relationship enabled by the Holy Spirit. In this sense then, the highest calling of the Christian life is to love God. Everything else falls into place after that. Having explained the surrounding context of Augustine’s time and life, Bray helped me to understand the inevitability and depth of Augustine’s observation. Bray also does a good job of laying out Augustine’s faults—whether that be in exegesis or long-windedness or in having an unrealistic view of his congregation. I believe Augustine himself would be pleased with the overall effect.

[Tyler Sawatzky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and quite informative. I'm glad this book did not get bogged down heavily into any one thing (which can happen with Augustine), but rather, skillfully weaved together the life, beliefs, works, and role of this theological giant. Bray hit all the important topics and wasn't afraid to wrestle with the parts of him that may make modern audiences uncomfortable.

I'd have liked a few more direct quotes from Augustine's works, which I thought were amongst the best parts of this book when it did occur. Bray chose rather to summarize often and reference where the summary comes from. To that end, he referenced dozens of his works, and the fruit of that primary study is evident in this volume.

[Daniel Attaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read, though it was not what I was expecting. It was more biographical when I thought it would be more of an interaction with Augustine’s writings that are on the Christian life.

Parts of the book dragged a bit and I was surprised to see that two things Augustine wrote a lot about—beauty and the power of habit—are largely absent.

But again, while it was not what I was expecting, Bray presents a nuanced picture of a man whose life speaks to us all if we are willing to hear him.

[Jason Foreman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very great, concise overview of the life and Augustine. Halfway through I realized how tragic it is that I have never read much of Augustine's works.

I loved how Bray strained to contextualize Augustine so that the reader can better encounter Augustine on his own turf -- this made the ending applications natural and easy to get behind.

The divisions of the books were likewise natural and very helpful. Much thought went into the organizational structure and that really made it an easy book to synthesize.

[Ryan Beneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly readable. I especially appreciated the first chapter on Augustine’s life. Serves as a good introduction to his thought but is a little too loosely organized at some points. Topics can swerve wildly in the middle of a chapter. But a valiant attempt to summarize Augustine’s vast corpus nonetheless.

[Neh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My respect for Augustine and Gerald Bray has grown significantly through this book. I may come back later and add more words to this, but wow, just pick up a copy and read it lol (see what I did here?)

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augustin is one of the pillars of Christianity for a reason. Bray does a wonderful job of bringing to life his life and theology and bringing out an appreciation for what he contributed to the growth and understanding of the Church.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good overview of Augustine's life, but there are too many times when Bray interjects his own theology into Augustine's theology. Bray is also a little soft on the heresy of Pelagius. Other than that, it was a good read.

[Joey Thurmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the author has a hard time with his outlining and keeping things organized within chapters, his biography of Augustine and how his life pertained to the formation of his theology is stellar, as well as summarizing deep aspects of the latter in profound clarity.

[Desert Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-put-together summary of Augustine’s life, that did an excellent job on Holodecking the influences that surrounded him.
I do intend to read/listen to Augustine’s works since I felt like I had just grazed the surface.

[Steve Hazell · Rating 2 out of 5]

A surprisingly full read with far less of Augustine’s own words than I expected. More of a historical overview of his life and ministry.

[Christina Sweeting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my.....this was an incredible read! Not just inspirational.....but transformative. So grateful for the opportunity to read it and have it 'read' me!!

[Grant Blackmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I found this book to be a slug fest. Long pages, and not what I was expecting.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good and thorough summary of this man of God with poignant reminders of how we can emulate him today in our own Christian lives.

[Jack Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would’ve been a 3/5, but the chapter on Augustine as Pastor was superb, earning it another star.

[Taylor Cyr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit repetitive, and not as much majoring on the majors as I would like for an intro to Augustine’s thought. A nice summary of his life, though.