Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

E. B. Pusey

“You are my Lord, because You have no need of my goodness.” Designed to show the details of the soul's progress, from enjoyment of the beauties outside itself to a study of its own nature and finally to joy in the knowledge of God, 'Confessions' was the first work in literature to be concerned entirely with an introspective analysis of the author's own spiritual and emotional experiences. Its original title was "Confessions in Thirteen Books," and it was composed to be read out loud with each book being a complete unit. The work outlines Augustine's sinful youth and his conversion to Christianity. It is widely seen as the first Western autobiography ever written, and was an influential model for Christian writers throughout the following 1,000 years of the Middle Ages.

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