Saint Augustine Research Paper

AuSaint Augustine was a bishop of Hippo Regius, a Latin philosopher and theologian. He was born in 354 in the town of Thagaste in Roman Africa. Growing up with a Pagan father and a Christian mother, Saint Augustine endured many experiences from which he produced a book of confessions. In this book he writes about his life and struggles with evil desires. He struggled with greed, gluttony and lust, which are three among seven of the deadliest sins. His main struggle was within faith and religion concerning sexual restrictions and church regulations.

He overcomes these struggles when he finds his faith. The encounters of evil Saint Augustine battles with fluctuate throughout his life. In his book of confessions he states that committing greed and gluttony brought joy to him. He loved anything that would amuse him such as chariot racing, gladiator fights and theatre. He would venture in drinking; gambling, stealing and he participated in barbaric pranks on people. He focused more on his own pleasures other than helping others.

What saved him was his mother, Monica, who prayed for Augustine’s wickedness to wither. Monica’s prayers were answered when she received a dream from God. During this time he became a teacher and over the years he saw that what he use to enjoy was dull and senseless. Slowly his immoral practices became nothing but regretful memories. His mother then started to persuade him to become a Christian in which he did. He found his faith and began a new life without sin. His most grueling struggle was the sin of lust.

He was not chaste nor did he abide Christian precepts. In his book he describes that his actions were done to avoid mockery and to also be accepted by his peers. When his mother was directing him towards the good she proposed that he should marry. Augustine married a 10-year-old child and when waiting for her to evolve he had an affair. By overcoming this obstacle he finally converted to Christianity and refrained from any form of sexual pleasure. He states, “The evil was not in the sexual act itself but in the emotions that accompany it. He also considers lust to be an obstacle to obtain the virtuous life. Saint Augustine had a constant battle with himself towards church policy and restrictions. He struggled with the limitations towards sexual intentions, which included him to be faithful to his significant other and live a monogamous lifestyle. He disagreed with this because his number one struggle was his erotic desires. This was one of the reasons as to why he gradually converted to Christianity. His struggle to adhere faith was one of the obstacles to find his identity.

He overcame this with the help of his mother and her prayers and he soon came to realize that his past was full of sin so he cleansed himself and became who he is known to be today. Saint Augustine had a life of sin. He struggled with lust, gluttony, greed, faith and religion. He then found himself and became a Saint. Like anybody else Saint Augustine was human, he faced many obstacles concerning evil practices but in the end he overcame these struggles when faith prevailed.