Augustine seems like my sort of bloke, is what I learned from this very readable introduction to his life and theology. Therefore, I've purchased the Confessions and started a reading group with my friend Richard. Now, if only I could stop reading young adult fiction....

This is definitely a short introduction, with emphasis on the word short. However to try to do it and less than 200 pages is always going to be short, too short. But my biggest problem with this book is how Chadwick places considerable emphasis on Augustine's borrowing from platonic thought, as if Plato, Plotinus, and Porphory were his highest authority. He places so much emphasis on that and so little emphasis on the Bible's influence on Augustine, that he essentially makes him out to be a platonic philosopher with a Christian twist.

That is not a fair a reading of Augustine. Certainly Augustine was affected by platonic thought, just like all of us are affected by the philosophical presuppositions of our cultural time and place. But it would be more accurate to say that platonic thought gave Augustine categories of thought and ways of thinking that he then filled with Biblical data. Yes, he was affected by Plato but not to the point of being a platonic philosopher with a Christian twist. His authority was always the scriptures, and his thought process was often platonic with scripture as his guide. That does mean that he had some errors because of his platonic categories, but that does not mean he was mostly controlled by them.

In no other place is this more clear than in his last chapter. Chadwick makes it seem like Augustine's view on the doctrine of grace was mostly platonic and polemic instead of being based on scripture. It is true that Augustine worked out the details of this doctrine in his controversy with Pelagius, but that does not mean that it was not wholly scriptural. Augustine did not build this doctrine off a few scant texts as Chadwick makes it sound. Chadwick also makes it sound the doctrines of grace as formulated by Augustine have been a hiccup in just a few periods in history, instead of the dominant view of the early church, the Reformation, and beyond the Reformation, at least until modern times where American individualism has overridden biblical thought.

So overall I do not think this is a very good introduction to augustinian thought. If I were you I would not waste my time on it. Plus, as many people have commented, Chadwick writes in such a way that if you do not know platonic philosophy already before you read this book, you will not be able to understand much of what he is saying.

Great little introduction to the thought of Augustine. The focus is more on the thought of Augustine with minimal attention paid to the life and times of the Saint, as Chadwick himself explains on p1. Throughout heavy focus is made on Augustine the Neoplatonic philosopher, with reference to his influences of Plotinus and Porphyry.

Chadwick structures the book chronologically, developing along with Augustine's life and the successive works he wrote. Thus a good overview of the works of Augustine is given. Constant reference is also made to the major works of Augustine throughout - Confessions, City of God, the Trinity and his Sermons and Commentary on the Psalms - showing the continuity of his thought.

However, the fact that Chadwick is an Anglican does come to the surface at some points in my opinion, otherwise it seems quite ecumenical.

Overall a great little overview of Augustine's thought and works which should be a great key to knowing where to start reading Augustine's huge corpus.

Not required reading for my Baylor class, but short enough for me to want to breeze through it after the semester ended.

Helpful short introduction to the theology of Augustine.

I was thinking about giving this two stars because it might be ok as someone's first exposure to Augustine, but the author either not understanding or not explaining properly different philosophical positions was just too frustrating. In the first chapter this was only really a problem when it comes to Manichaeans and so I thought "OK, maybe he just doesn't understand Manichaeans very well, other than that it seems promising." But then it just kept going. The whole thing just felt like it was a homework done too late based on purely secondary sources. In the end I really don't think it is a good introductory work, there is a danger of having wrong preconceptions stuck in your head and it is also just better to pick up Confessions, it is an extremely interesting and very accessible work.

This book gives one easy access to Augustine's ideas.

For those unfamiliar with Augustine I need to point out that his contributions to philosophy are important and enduring.

A good very short introduction; but I had prior knowledge of Augustine works and life portrayed in the Story of Civilization; thus I do not think this added much to it. it was a good recap though.
It is a very short book full of philosophical views and reference to the Confessions and for the City of God... adding them to the to-read list.

This book is a rather dense intro to St. Augustine. If you're not already familiar with the early Christian era, both pagan and Christian philosophy and political realities, you may want to pass on this book. It is not as much an introduction to Augustine as it is a 'refresher' for those who already have read him. I plan on diving in City of God and Confessions again, and it helpful to remind me of the context for these works.

Good introduction to Augustine's thought and work. Chadwick is especially helpful at showing how Augustine was influenced by various currents in philosophy.

Covers biography and theological ideas, although hard to fully appreciate without some knowledge of Neoplatonism. Introduces the theological controversies of his times.

Does exactly what it says on the cover. This is one of the better books of this series that I have read so far and gives a very balanced account of Augustine's life and works.