St. Augustine's Confessions

by William R. Cook, Ronald B. Herzman

How should parents raise children, and how should schools educate children? Why are we attracted to things that are forbidden? What is time? How can we understand God, or the nature of evil? What is true friendship? To answer these questions, Professors Cook and Herzman look to the Confessions of St. Augustine of Hippo. Over the course of 24 fascinating lectures, you'll study this great book's staggering influence on Christianity and Western civilization, seeing how it provided a source of inspiration for such noted thinkers and writers as Petrarch, Dante, and Martin Luther. Even though the Confessions is more than 1,500 years old, it still speaks to us and has the capacity to change our lives. The professors trace the narrative of Augustine's early life and the key events that led to his Christian conversion at age 31. In a succession of stories that are as powerful as any in world literature, Augustine seeks to understand the same issues in his life that many people try to understand in theirs, arriving at profound conclusions that offer stunning insight into our psychology and morality and challenge us to become wiser and better people. This course is a superb springboard and companion guide to your reading and rereading of one of history's singular books: one that will challenge and stimulate your mind and provide a framework through which to find true understanding, value, and meaning in your life.

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Classics, Christianity, Theology, Nonfiction, History

13 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Dr. William R. Cook is the Distinguished Teaching Professor of History at the State University of New York at Geneseo, where he has taught since 1970. He earned his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Wabash College and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa there. He was then awarded Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Lehman fellowships to study medieval history at Cornell University, where he earned his Ph.D.

Professor Cook teaches courses in ancient and medieval history, the Renaissance and Reformation periods, and the Bible and Christian thought. Since 1983 Professor Cook has directed 11 Seminars for School Teachers for the National Endowment for the Humanities.

His books include Images of St. Francis of Assisi and Francis of Assisi: The Way of Poverty and Humility. Dr. Cook contributed to the Cambridge Companion to Giotto and edits and contributes to The Art of the Franciscan Order in Italy.

Among his many awards, Professor Cook has received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 1992 the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education named him New York State’s Professor of the Year. In 2003 he received the first-ever CARA Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Medieval Studies from the Medieval Academy of America.

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 3 out of 5]

در جلسات آخر دوره، صحبت از نحوهٔ کتاب خواندن آگوستین شد و یکی از مدرس‌ها گفت در صومعه‌های مسیحی، نوع خاصی از مطالعهٔ عمیق وجود دارد که برای ما شاید بیگانه باشد.
ما وقتی می‌خواهیم کتابی بخوانیم، می‌خواهیم به پایانش برسانیم، اگر داستانی باشد می‌خواهیم بدانیم آخرش چه می‌شود، اگر غیر داستانی باشد می‌خواهیم نگرش خاص کتاب را بفهمیم، و در هر حال، کتاب به عنوان یک کل است که مهم است. تمام محتویاتی که نویسنده می‌خواهد به ما عرضه کند.

اما در صومعه‌ها راهبان روزانه ساعتی دارند برای مطالعه، و منظور از مطالعه بیشتر نوعی تأمل و مراقبه است تا خواندن یک متن. راهب یا راهبه کتابی معمولاً مقدس را باز می‌کند و به آرامی شروع می‌کند بخش کوچکی را خواندن و درباره‌اش فکر کردن. نیاز نیست فقط به منظور مستقیم متن فکر کند، می‌تواند لایه‌های عمیق‌تری در متن جستجو کند که حتی مطمئن است منظور مؤلف نبوده. مهم آن است که یک ساعت به واسطهٔ کتاب مراقبه کند.
مدرس می‌گفت یکی از دوستان راهب من یک سال و نیم کتاب مزامیر را می‌خواند و وقتی پرسیدم به کجا رسیده‌ای، گفت: به مزمور بیستم، یعنی شاید کمی بیش از بیست صفحه.

یادم افتاد که یکی از دوستان من هم روش مشابهی در کتاب خواندن داشت که همیشه برای من جذاب بود. فرصت کمی برای مطالعه داشت و از این بابت همیشه حسرت می‌خورد، اما در عین حال، هر از چندی سری به قفسهٔ کتابش می‌زد و یک کتاب شعر - کتابخانه‌اش پر بود از اشعار امروزی که به نظرم گزینه‌ای عالی برای این نوع مطالعه‌اند - بر می‌داشت و آزادانه تورق می‌کرد و بی اصرار برای رسیدن به جایی، چند صفحه از کتاب می‌خواند. گاهی شاید یک بخش را چند بار می‌خواند، کلمات را مزه‌مزه می‌کرد، از یکی دو تصویر بدیع شعر به شگفتی می‌آمد، و کتاب را به قفسه بر می‌گرداند.

این البته کاملاً آن شکل مطالعهٔ راهب‌ها و قدیس آگوستین نیست. اما در هر دو عنصر مشترکی هست که مرا به فکر واداشت. به فکر نوعی متفاوت از مواجهه با کتاب که در قاموس فکری من جایی نداشت. مدتی بود که حس می‌کردم آن اندازه که می‌خوانم، وقتی برای فکر کردن ندارم، و هر وقت می‌خواستم ساعتی را برای فکر کردن خالی کنم، بعد از چند دقیقه حس می‌کردم دارم وقتم را تلف می‌کنم یا بی حوصله می‌شدم. و شاید این بتواند کمک کند به فکر کردن، بدون خالی کردن وقت و هیچ کار نکردن. فکر کردن به وسیلهٔ مطالعه.

مطالعه نه به قصد خواندن کتاب. مطالعه به قصد استفاده از کتاب به عنوان سکوی پرش. دیگر مؤلف و سخن مؤلف نیست که مهم است، دیگر ترتیبی که مؤلف برای عرضهٔ مطالبش چیده مهم نیست، یا نتیجه‌ای که خواسته بگیرد. دیگر من خواننده و فکرهای من است که در مرکز اهمیت است. ذهن ماشین نیست که هر وقت که آدم دکمه‌اش را زد، شروع کند به اندیشه‌ورزی. موضوعی می‌خواهد، مسئله‌ای تحریک‌کننده می‌خواهد، مثل نبات که به ریسمان کوچکی نیاز دارد تا حول آن بلور ببندد. و کتاب می‌شود این ریسمان کوچک برای شروع خیال‌پردازی. می‌شود یک هُل کوچک برای راه افتادن و روشن شدن ماشین ذهن. می‌شود یک جرقهٔ کوچک برای اشتعال ناگهانی افکار و تصاویر. و حتی - این را باید با احتیاط و امیدواری گفت - ایجاد نوعی تجربهٔ دینی.

ضرورتی ندارد آدم ذهن را مجبور کند که در جهت خاصی برود و فقط به این یا آن مسئله بیندیشد. می‌توان اجازه داد افکار آزادانه بیایند و بروند، ولی نه هر فکری، نه فکر به ددلاین پروژه و قرار فردا و تکلیف نیمه‌کار مانده. چطور می‌شود این جریان سیال ذهن را مهار کرد؟ با همان چیزی که در وهلهٔ اول این جریان سیال ذهن را آغاز کرد: کتاب. اگر فکر شروع کرد به پرت شدن و رفتن به سمت چیزهای بی ربط، و منظورم بیشتر وقایع روزمره است، آدم دوباره برمی‌گردد سر مطالعه و کمی می‌خواند تا ذهن دوباره برگردد حول موضوعات کمی کلان‌تر از درگیری‌های روزمره.

به این ترتیب کتاب هم سکوی پرش می‌شود و پرواز فکر را شروع می‌کند، هم ریسمانی که مانع پرواز خیلی دور فکر می‌شود.

این‌ها همه فکرهایی بود که موقع گوش دادن به اعترافات آگوستین از ذهنم گذشت و یک جورهایی همین مطالعه، مطالعه‌ای شد که دنبالش بودم. اما علاوه بر این دوست دارم کتابی انتخاب کنم و این کار را امتحان کنم. حالا ب‍ه‍گ‍ود گ‍ی‍ت‍ا را در ذهن دارم، اما شاید عوضش کردم. چون اصراری به تمام کردن کتاب نیست. شاید هر از چندی کتابی جدید برداشتم. اما مهم است که هر روز یا هر هفته ساعتی را اختصاص بدهم به خواندن و در آرامش تعمق کردن. مدیتیشن به سبک کتابخوان‌ها.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete review to follow after Easter. For now, let me just say, AMAZING, AMAZING and AMAZING! Do not try to read Confessions without this!



Although I won't be able to include all the things I get out of this course I would like to include some of the things the professors have pointed out:

-It takes a life lived in conformity with Scripture to really understand it.

-Moving toward understanding is enjoyable itself; the fact that it is not immediately understandable makes the eventual understanding actually more enjoyable.

-Scripture is not about finding THE interpretation; it is about finding a VARIETY and DEPTH of meanings.

Still reading...




It so improves the reading a great classic when I can simultaneously do one of the these along with it ... but it doesn't always work out, so I am really glad that it has this time.

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Professors Cook and Herzman so it is no surprise that I really liked this series of classes. It accomplished what I thought would never happen: I now am interested in rereading Augustine's Confessions. I wish I'd have heard these before reading it the first time actually because I'd have gotten a lot more out of it instead of experiencing big chunks of boredom with some spots. Even if you never plan to read the Confessions this is worthwhile because you'll know what all the fuss is about.

Highly recommended.

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better audiobooks in the Great Courses series, I would argue. There are actually two professors who narrate, and the back-and-forth of their dialog helps keep it lively. Each would probably be ok on their own, but it all seems much more personable and approachable in this style. There is sufficient quoting of the text to give you a flavor for the book, and even to impel me toward actually reading it myself! I think it has merit for both Christians and non-Christians alike in many regards.

[Matt Pitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Listened to these lectures a year or two ago I think. Excellent lecturers.

[William Adam Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked the dual professor approach of Professors Cook and Herzman. This is the first course that I listened to that had two professors during the same lecture, I thought that it might be distracting, but I found that the professors did a great job of complementing each other and having a shared passion for Saint Augustine's life and writings.

The format is 24 lectures. It gives a general introduction to Augustine himself and the times that he lived in. It then goes through the "Confessions" book by book. The two professors have taught this book many times at the college level and are well acquainted with the book in order to draw out its nuances. There is a focus on the book as literature, spiritual growth, and religious devotion. There is some mention of Augustine's transformation from Manicheism to Christianity, but it is not explained in a thorough manner. The theological aspects that are so important to Augustine are not examined that well here. In fact, Augustine is done better in two other courses offered by The Great Courses. One is Philip Cary's "Augustine: Philosopher and Saint", which is more in depth at looking at Augustine's Christian thought and how it developed. The second course I would recommend before this one is "Books that Matter: The City of God", which is about Augustine's other famous writing, and goes quite a bit more in depth concerning Augustine's philosophy and thought.

I did enjoy the professors' insight into the book and it is certainly an enjoyable companion to reading "Confessions". You can tell that the professors are friends and enjoy supporting each other's quest to help others understand Augustine.

[Jared Gillins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I found the lecturers a little dry. But some of the fault in not loving this lecture series is probably my own. I'm sure I would have gotten more out of it if I had actually read St. Augustine's Confessions and used the lectures as a supplement rather than letting them do all the work. Also, I think I'm more interested in St. Augustine's contributions to theology than I am in his autobiography. And that's on me, going to the wrong source for what I wanted.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dynamic duo (Bill Cook and Ron Herzman) make studying Augustine's Confessions interesting, fast-paced, and meaningful. I enjoyed them as they went through Dante's Divine Comedy with the Great Courses, and this one was just as good. It really is no wonder that this work has been celebrated through the ages.

[Gebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a huge fan of St Augustine, but this course humanized him and helped me to better understand his ideas. Excellent course and really enjoy the two professor aspect.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful companion to Confessions. Recommend if you are going to start Augustine.

[Brian White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this course as a review for preparing to teach the Confessions. It was insightful and thorough. Like many of the Great Courses the information with useful even if the production quality is less then stellar. If you are interested in a deeper dive into Augustine this is not a bad place to start.

[Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

St. Augustine's CONFESSIONS is not a traditional autobiography. It is a deeply personal and introspective exploration of faith, sin, and the human condition, addressed directly to God. Augustine recounts his early life, marked by intellectual pursuits and moral struggles, ultimately leading to his conversion to Christianity.

Augustine delves into his thoughts, motivations, and internal conflicts with remarkable honesty and psychological insight, offering a timeless exploration of the human struggle with sin and the search for meaning. The book sheds light on the development of early Christian thought, particularly Augustine's influential ideas on grace, free will, and original sin. Augustine's writing is eloquent and engaging, even after centuries, making the book a valuable source for both theological and literary study.

While offering insights into Augustine's life, the book doesn't provide a comprehensive historical account of the period.Readers primarily interested in secular history or a traditional autobiography might find the book's theological emphasis overwhelming. Some of Augustine's views, particularly on gender and social issues, may appear outdated or offensive to modern readers.

"Confessions" is a profound and enduring classic. It offers a captivating exploration of faith, self-discovery, and the complexities of human nature. While its focus on theology and outdated views might not appeal to everyone, the book's introspective nature and exploration of timeless themes make it a valuable read for those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves, the human condition, and the history of Christian thought.

This book is highly recommended for those interested in theology, philosophy, early church history, and introspective literature. However, readers unfamiliar with Christian theology or seeking a strictly historical account might want to consider additional resources alongside "Confessions." It's also crucial to approach the book with an understanding of the historical context and to be aware of potentially outdated views expressed by the author.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2004 The Teaching Company released an exceptional 24 lecture course about St. Augustine’s 396 AD book “Confessions.” The lectures are done by Distinguished Professors William Cook (History) and Robert Herzman (English). When the course was released, these professors taught at State University in New York, Geneseo. The course lectures discuss the experiences that caused St. Augustine to become a Catholic convert in 386 AD. Ten years after his “Confessions” book was released, Augustine became the Catholic Bishop of Hippo, North Africa. Over the next 1,600+ years the book has been continuously translated, republished, and taught at colleges and universities throughout the world. The Cook and Herzman lectures feature how Augustine’s “Confessions” was influenced by the writings of Jerome, Ambrose, Gregory, Virgil, Aristotle, Plato, Faustus, Sophocles, and Cicero. The lectures also discuss how these scholars along with St Paul letters, Hebrew Old Testament texts, and New Testament gospel writings led Augustine to compile a detailed understanding of the interrelationships between secular and spiritual life events that anchor today’s understanding of philosophy as well as the theological foundations of human life, death, and reincarnated existence. The concluding lectures focus on how memory, intellect, and free will are central elements of the religious discernment that unlocks the “humble gate” of everlasting life. The course is fascinating. (P)

[Susannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professors Bill and Ron have a great dynamic. They're both passionate and knowledgeble, but ping pong different insights, which make this super interesting. St. Augustine's Confessions has been for me one of those Classics that I've always wanted to read, but didn't understand enough about the historical context to really understand the author's intent. This is the first book about the Confessions that I not only managed to finish but also enjoyed quite a bit. I have a better sense of why St. Augustine is a doctor of the Church and how much he helped clarify the Truth against Manichaenism and other schools of thought that are still relevant in today's confusion about God.

What's even more awesome about these two professors is that they're well versed in other relevant topics. So they manage to tie in nicely other writers like Dante and philosophers like Plato. I'm eager to devour all of Cook's and Herman's published work so that I can get a wholistic view of the early years of the Church and Western Civilization as a whole!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

As part of my Year (or so) of Augustine's Confessions, I listened to these 24 lectures from the "Great Courses" program. They were interesting and helped me focus on important aspects of the dense Confessions. I'm not the greatest at listening to lectures, especially when driving (which is when I do 95% or more of my listening to books on audio), so it took me a long time to get through the lectures. I can safely say I've heard the whole thing at least two times, since I rewind so often.

Professors Bill Cook and Ron Herzman make an engaging pair; I suspect this is much more listenable since there are two lecturers interacting rather than one non-stop voice. They are both passionate about their subject, to say the least. For anybody who wants to get through the Confessions, I'd highly recommend this useful aid to comprehending what they've already read and/or about to read.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this as someone without extensive knowledge of or a particular interest in the Christian tradition - I was pleasantly surprised.

In this work, the two professors Cook and Herzman, show great academic excellence and rigor. They attack the problems at hand from different viewpoints, making sure not to miss any facts or perspectives of interest. The unobstructed and instantaneous flow from text to commentary, and from Cook to Herzman, made for a fascinating experience. The form and structure of this work made me raise the rating from a 2/5 (good) to a 3/5 (very good).

If perspectival broadening is the goal, this work is on my list of recommendations!

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

These GC lecture series offerings are always solid. Nothing mind-blowing from Guelzo and Cook here, but they did a slightly better job with a well known text I’ve read (partially, always for sections, in a couple different translations) than professors in undergrad or divinity school (who were admittedly considering it in the context of other texts and not assigning the entire text). They don’t linger nearly enough on the most interesting part of the text — Augustine’s obvious discomfort with how lame the stories of the Bible are vis a vis classical literature — but there’s more than enough on that for most folks. Recommended

[aud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not really religious, but we read this in my christian theo class, and i surprisingly really enjoyed it! first of all, augustine's writing is just so beautiful; the way he speaks about the people in his life, as well as God, is so poetic; the chapter about his mother's death made me grieve her myself. i also really enjoyed hearing his story and how he was not always close to God, it made him feel so human. although this book is, at the heart, his confessions to God, it is not strictly a christian book. it is a book about death, grief, friendship, love, and, most importantly, mercy. i highly recommend it even if you aren't religious!

[ladydusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to these lectures about Augustine's Confessions. They were super helpful in navigating each book as I read it. Unfortunately, they will no longer be on Audible as of May 1 and so I powered through them without having read each Book first. I think in the long run there will be benefits to having the scope studied first before I read it, but I'm a little disappointed to have to change my approach to reading and listening.

I very much enjoyed the rapport between Cook and Herzman and their analysis of this foundational work of the West. Their obvious respect and love for the work made listening to this a delight.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, these gentlemen are able to take what could seem an intimidating classic and make it a lot more manageable. One of them paraphrased Augustine’s thoughts on what makes a great teacher as one who loves their students and loves the subject matter. It’s quite obvious that these guys really love the material they’re teaching, and the anecdotes they include related to their students would indicate warm feelings about them as well, I would be inclined to consider them great teachers and look to find out what other courses they have recorded to see what else I can learn from them.

[Mady Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok I didn't technically finish this book, but I started watching a YouTube series of recorded lectures that summarize it so well I couldn't bear to spend more hours toiling over it. It's also ironic that I intended to finish this book during Lent and only finished (the more accurate phrase here is that I "gave up") three weeks after Easter. Anyway, this is one of those books that I would love to read with an expert. So thank you to a Yale professor who kindly posted his lectures on YouTube to help me understand this seminal work of philosophy, theology, and prose in Western letters.

[Sam Cav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic stuff, what a lad.

I have a group of friends who, when encountering an elder at the pinnacle of integrity, would describe that person as 'sound'. Augustine, often with the honest voice of someone waking up after an over-indulgent night out in Manchester, comes across as a hungover, humble, but ultimately sound bloke.

100% not a dick. Probably why his book has been a global best-seller for so many centuries.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to and survey of Augustine's Confessions. It is unique in that the 2 Professors lecture together in as a team.

(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})

[Anne Kearns · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was a little distracted reading this (did audiobook while i read on youtube) because i’m doing this for my philosophy class but i think it’s really good i think he’s one of my new favorite saints because he’s so human and he knows his humanity. to be humble and know your past

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was not my intent to listen to this "Great Books" treatment; rather it was my intention to actually listen to Augustine's "Confesssions" but perhaps another time. I let the professorial commentary get to me and little enjoyed their work.

[Paolo Zanelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a rating on St. Augustine’s book but rather on the lessons which I felt don’t dig enough into the matters at hand

[Anna]

hated. could never imagine being this pious about anything

[Roshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

St augustine *vine voice* “honestly I don’t remember I was probably fucked up…yeah I was crazy back then hehehehe…”

[Lara2758 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a timeless classic. Read this for my Great Books class and I now feel compelled to read all of his work