I Burned for Your Peace: Augustine's Confessions Unpacked

by Peter Kreeft

Popular author and philosopher Peter Kreeft delves into one of the most beloved Christian classics of all time--Augustine's Confessions . He collects key passages and offers incisive commentary, making Confessions accessible to any reader who is both intellectually curious and spiritually hungry. The Confessions is a dramatic personal narrative of a soul choosing between eternal life and death, an exploration of the timeless questions great minds have been asking for millennia, and a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God. I Burned for Your Peace is not a scholarly work but an unpacking of the riches found in Augustine's text. It is existential, personal, and devotional, as well as warm, witty, and thought-provoking. With Kreeft to guide them, readers of the Confessions can overhear and understand the intimate conversation between a towering intellect and the God whose peace he at last humbly accepts.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Philosophy, Catholic, Faith, Christianity, Christian

240 pages, Paperback

Published August 23, 2016

About the author

Peter Kreeft is an American philosopher and prolific author of over eighty books on Christian theology, philosophy, and apologetics. A convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, his journey was shaped by his study of Church history, Gothic architecture, and Thomistic thought. He earned his BA from Calvin College, an MA and PhD from Fordham University, and pursued further studies at Yale. Since 1965, he has taught philosophy at Boston College and also at The King’s College. Kreeft is known for formulating “Twenty Arguments for the Existence of God” with Ronald K. Tacelli, featured in their Handbook of Christian Apologetics. A strong advocate for unity among Christians, he emphasizes shared belief in Christ over denominational differences.

Reviews

[Jerin Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a little intimidated by reading Augustine's Confessions straight up, this is a fantastic place to start. Kreeft does a stellar job "close reading" many of the most important passages of this Church father's seminal work.

[Leslie Moellering · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Augustine's Confessions, I think 95% or more went over or through my head, but didn't stick. Kreeft's "unpacking" of the book is not just a summary or synopsis, but is a devotional, meant to help us see ourselves as Augustine came to see himself, through God's eyes. The last paragraph is indicative of this: "The medieval statuary of Augustine that gave him an open Bible in one hand and a burning heart in the other was not meant to be quirky, but universal. If they made statues of you, would they give you the same two symbols? Or would they give you a smartphone and a pillow?"

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft guides us through the key quotes from St. Augustine's Confessions, mostly the philosophical and prayer bits. I enjoyed this a lot. I've always liked the story parts of Augustine's life but the philosophical/prayer parts were rather boring. Kreeft helped me give them the proper weight in the overall book.

[Emerson John Tiu Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft gives us a nice commentary and how we interpret St. Augustine in his book the Confession. It the reader gives a new perspective.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever been to college and taken an Introductory Philosophy class, then you are somewhat familiar with St. Augustine's Confessions. In fact, it is widely regarded as one of the great works of Western Civilization. Knowing that, well-know Catholic author and philosopher Dr. Peter Kreeft recently released a book called I Burned for Your Peace. The book is intended as a commentary on some of the major points of St. Augustine's Confessions. It is not intended to be a scholarly examination of the whole work, because that would take multiple volumes to cover. If you plan on reading this book side-by-side with Confessions, Dr. Kreeft used Frank Sheed's translation, but if you don't want to buy a new copy, you'll be fine with the one you have.

Dr. Kreeft begins his book with four introductions. The first is an introduction to his book. The second and third are introductions to St. Augustine and Confessions. And the fourth is an introduction to reading Confessions. In the first chapter, we see that Augustine begins his work in dialogue with God. The next few chapters walk us through stages of his life - infancy, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. In these chapters, we get a glimpse of his sinful and rebellious nature. We then see part of St. Augustine's first conversion in reading Cicero and his initial reading of Scripture with him not being ready to receive it yet. This leads us St. Augustine's three big problems/obstacles to Christianity (problem of evil, problem of God, and problem of morality). The book continues by speaking of the role his mother, St. Monica, had in his conversion and eventually concludes with the theological conclusions St. Augustine discovered.

Reading through Dr. Kreeft's book, I am reminded of the first time I encountered Confessions. Going to a secular university, my professor merely glossed over it and didn't unpack of much of it as I would have liked. I believe if I had this book available then, I would have walked away much more knowledgeable of this great work. Therefore, I invite you, if you have never read Confessions or it has been a while, pick up a copy of this book to read with it. You will find a lot in the book that you missed in your initial reading and you will be a lot more appreciative.

[Thomas Curry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kreeft's love of Augustine leaps off the page from the beginning, which can sometimes hamper the book. Unfortunately, there are too many asides against modernism which are jarring and frustrating - especially considering they are often offered as unsupported dogmas (disclaimer: I agreed with every one of them). The overabundance of metaphors - often quite bad - also hampers this book, which does have a few genuinely impressive insights sprinkled throughout it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a 4 to 4.5, very readable and understandable, however as another reviewer expressed similarly I believe, the last chapter(s) bumped it to up to a 5 for me. I wouldn't advise cheating and jumping to this point of the book first, I think it was what it was, because of what was developed throughout the whole book. I don't know if I would have appreciated it as much without reading the book up to that point first.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Kreeft never disappoints. This is a great companion to Augustine's Confessions, very insightful.

[Jed Ojeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Confessions of Saint Augustine first. Next, read this book. Third, read these books side by side.

[Bob Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted to read a classic of literature, but were unable to understand it? If you have wanted to read the Confessions or have wanted a better understanding of it, then this book is for you.

Peter Kreeft is one of the biggest names in Catholic theology today and while I am more familiar with his work on Aquinas, I could not pass up the opportunity to dig into this take on Augustine's Confessions.

Kreeft's work could...probably should...be read devotionally. He excerpts a small snippet of the Confessions and then comments on it The reader then makes their way through copious amounts of work of Augustine's thought as well as getting modern thoughts on the text. Kreeft uses the New City Press (currently republishing all of Augustine's works).

His work helps the reader see the ancient in the modern and helps us to wrestle with the questions that Augustine is dealing with. In doing so, it makes the works of Augustine much more accessible to the modern reader and allows a non-academic crowd to think about theology in a deeper manner. There are times, however, that Kreeft's simplicity is not helpful, but that is few and far between.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Christian theology, spirituality, St. Augustine, or is looking for a new devotional.

Grade: A-

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have taken a stab at reading Augustine's Confessions many times over the years, but have never successfully gotten through it. I have been brought to the realization that the variations of translations will make a difference in my understanding of this remarkable autobiography. I still have aspirations of reading the "real deal". That being said, this was a great taste of what Confessions is and I appreciated Kreeft's commentary on it. It was somewhat difficult to process at times, but it was well worth reading and in many cases re-reading of sections. It took me quite a while to finish but overall, well worth the time and insight that I was able to glean from it.

[Matthew Richey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm teaching through Confessions this year and read this because I was looking for a commentary to give me additional insights as I teach. My one complaint against this book is that it is more of a devotional than a commentary, but Kreeft is helpful in unpacking Augustine and, as a devotional, it is quite good. Kreeft is eminently quotable and very insightful. He wears his Catholicism on his sleeve, which may bother some Protestant readers but did not bother me in the least. Recommended for someone who hasn't read Confessions but would like to get a taste or would like some guidance as they read.

[Cam Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a joy to read. I love St. Augustine’s Confessions, so any work walking through his writing is one I’m bound to enjoy, but Peter Kreeft has crafted a work I loved.

In this book, Kreeft serves as a lens through which a stunning landscape can be better observed and enjoyed. He kept the focus on the heart of Augustine’s writings rather than his own opinions or writing. This book is a wonderful resource for any who seek to better understand or merely spend more time with Augustine in the company of a trusted guide.

[lit li · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend!

I enjoyed every page of the book. This book did 3 things for me: 1. Broadened my knowledge of God, the Truth, and the Wisdom. 2. Stirred up the fire in me for God. 3. Confirmed some of my own spiritual experiences, reflection, and understanding.
Highly recommend it to all who want to know God/Truth/Wisdom more.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed to say I've never read all of St. Augustine's Confessions. But after reading Peter Kreeft's masterful reflection on this influential text of the great doctor of the Church, I must spend some time reading it myself and digesting it's impact that it may help in my own struggles of faith and that I may too burn for God's peace.

[Bennett Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, this is the best commentary on Augustine's Confessions that I have ever read. Instead of providing a complete commentary, Kreeft unpacks the most important parts of the work with clarity and power. The book preaches. It is quite similar to Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal's Pensees in this respect. If you love the Confessions (or Kreeft), you will love this work.

[Gavin Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so enjoyable, insightful, helpful, and profound I couldn't put it down. Kreeft unpacks Augustine philosophically and devotionally by taking short snippets from Confessions and unpacking them. A book to return to!

[Jacob Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A faithful and helpful companion, with some sublime and strikingly insightful passages. Though it was not free from some sub-par applications and spats of papist nonsense, overall I would highly recommend.

[Andy Yonker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 Stars. Love Dr. Kreeft and he provides valuable additional points. Definitely deepened my love for Augustine. However, reading a book about Confessions cannot duplicate reading Confessions itself and the sheer beauty of Augustine’s journey and conversation with God.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!!!

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some great insights and analogies that make Augustine more accessible to our modern world and ways of thinking.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "short" version of St. Augustine's Confessions, by a world,-renowned author. Anything by Peter Kreeft has got to be darn good!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kreeft does a great job unpacking The Confession. He points out so much that I missed.

[Brad Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

[Mollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My "I" book. It took a while to complete this. There was so much to pause and contemplate. A wonderful read.

[Matthew Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great way to encounter (or rediscover) Augustine’s Confessions. This isn’t a normal commentary, but a series of quotes from Augustine accompanied by pithy comments and meditations by Peter Kreeft.

As someone who read the Confessions and didn’t get what all the fuss was about, I thought this might be a good way to revisit the book with the aid of Dr Kreeft, one of my favourite thinkers alive today. Certainly, this book gave me a renewed appreciation for the Confessions. Kreeft has said elsewhere “I’ve never read a book the translation of which made more of a difference then the Confessions”. I suspect that is what hindered my first reading. As Kreeft says of Mr Pine-Coffin’s translation (the Penguin Classics one) befitting of its translator, it is suitably wooden and dead.

This book is a similar style to Kreeft’s Christianity for Modern Pagans – though that is a more substantial book, and one I would recommend more highly.

Here’s fourteen of my favourite Kreeft quotes from this book:

1) “Gratitude is not only subjectively good, it is also objectively true.” (60)

2) “Only a man, never a machine, can rise to the dignity of sin. It’s a great compliment to call a man a sinner” (65)

3) “Our whole civilisation is now living in the moral confusion through which Augustine lived. Will we come out of it, as he did? That probably depends on how many Monicas we have.” (94)

4) By making us feel empathy without forcing us to relieve the sufferings of others or bear any burdens ourselves ”The theatre [or TV] allows us to feel passively very moral without actually being moral in action.” (79)

5) “True love is the knowledge of a person; lust is the desire for a feeling.” (74)

6) “The very idea of progress among the changing things of this world logically presupposes a goal that cannot progress; a truth, a good, an end that is external, rigid, unchangeable, and absolute. For if the finish line ‘progresses’ as the runners do, they cannot make progress toward it.” (161)

7) Morality requires good (1) acts, (2) objects, (3) circumstances. And being satisfied with just one of these leads to (1) Legalism, (2) Subjectivism, (3) Utilitarianism. (95)

8) “without the bad news the good news is meaningless. A free heart transplant (which is what the Christian Gospel is) is not good news to someone who does not know he has heart disease (which is what Original Sin is).” (61)

9) “Before God can comfort the afflicted, He needs to afflict the comfortable” (63)

10) “Freud tells us we must ‘make friends with the necessity of dying’. But to anyone who loves life, this is treason.” (106)

11) “We do not like the obligation of the present moment to get up and deal with our Kairos time rather than our kronos, that is, with concrete real world time rather than abstract imagined time. For kronos, tomorrow is just as good a time as today; but this is a lie: Kairos tells us the truth: that ‘there’s no time like the present.’” (180)

12) “Those who worship what is less than themselves (including their own experience) become less than themselves. Those who worship the One who is more than themselves become more than themselves.” (76)

13) “[God] invites us to forget ourselves when we do good, so as not to spoil the good and the joy; and to remember ourselves when we do evil, so that we can ‘spoil’ the evil by acknowledging it and turning from it.” (181)

14) “The medieval statuary of Augustine that gave him an open Bible in one hand and a burning heart in the other was not meant to be quirky, but universal. If they made statues of you, would they give you the same two symbols? Or would they give you a smartphone and a pillow?” (234)

[-Anne- · Rating 2 out of 5]

kreeft is an incorrigible trout and I am not here for it

I am so unbelievably tired of religion telling us that caring about ourselves and loving ourselves as we are is sinful. I'm more than just a bucket of sin, my dudes.

As for Kreeft, I'm pretty sure this dude jacks off to his own supercilious monologues denoting non-christian religions. I can just TELL.

Thank you Kreeft darling, you gave me some good laughs. And some moments where I had to put down the book and scream. But mostly laughs!


UPDATE: I refuse to burn books cause ya know, Nazis, but this one has officially been drowned :)))