Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo , also known as Saint Augustine and in the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Orthodox_Church/5n20Akh5">Eastern Orthodox Church</a> as Blessed Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of <a href="/facts/Berbers/kuN9pFNf">Berber</a> origin and the <a href="/facts/Bishop_of_Hippo_Regius/rQNN5FDq">bishop of Hippo Regius</a> in <a href="/facts/Numidia_(Roman_province)/AV73bHeF">Numidia</a>, <a href="/facts/Roman_North_Africa/MIYYrhIF">Roman North Africa</a>. His writings deeply influenced the development of <a href="/facts/Western_philosophy/4m6EnYCI">Western philosophy</a> and <a href="/facts/Western_Christianity/9YP8vhKs">Western Christianity</a>, and he is viewed as one of the most important <a href="/facts/Latin_Church_Fathers/U2aPanJQ">Church Fathers of the Latin Church</a> in the <a href="/facts/Patristic_Period/U7y9RICu">Patristic Period</a>. His many important works include <a href="/facts/The_City_of_God/xE9WHvwF">The City of God</a>, <a href="/facts/De_Doctrina_Christiana/CWDwyjID">On Christian Doctrine</a>, and <a href="/facts/Confessions_(Augustine)/tFU5UwP8">Confessions</a>.
According to his contemporary, <a href="/facts/Jerome/0qVqVA73">Jerome of Stridon</a>, Augustine "established anew the ancient Faith". In his youth he was drawn to the <a href="/facts/Manichaeism/fUWQUj6q">Manichaean faith</a>, and later to the <a href="/facts/Hellenistic_philosophy/xCbJuVTV">Hellenistic philosophy</a> of <a href="/facts/Neoplatonism/Tyq4uTG0">Neoplatonism</a>. After his conversion to Christianity and baptism in 386, Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and perspectives. Believing the <a href="/facts/Grace_in_Christianity/V3PRcq9a">grace of Christ</a> was indispensable to human freedom, he helped formulate the doctrine of <a href="/facts/Original_sin/DAu65bQ4">original sin</a> and made significant contributions to the development of <a href="/facts/Just_war_theory/5HEn9Msm">just war theory</a>. When the <a href="/facts/Western_Roman_Empire/PkeT92o9">Western Roman Empire</a> began to disintegrate, Augustine imagined the Church as a spiritual <a href="/facts/New_Jerusalem/EtUgeMFp">City of God</a>, distinct from the material Earthly City. The segment of the Church that adhered to the concept of the <a href="/facts/Trinity/2eElg705">Trinity</a> as defined by the <a href="/facts/First_Council_of_Nicaea/6lHSuWwy">Council of Nicaea</a> and the <a href="/facts/First_Council_of_Constantinople/BR57vKQJ">Council of Constantinople</a> closely identified with Augustine's <a href="/facts/On_the_Trinity/6YWRaBXQ">On the Trinity</a>.
Augustine is recognized as a saint in the <a href="/facts/Catholic_Church/rJ4F4gqH">Catholic Church</a>, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the <a href="/facts/Lutheran_churches/L4pMlRcS">Lutheran churches</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Anglican_Communion/N8l7GJUE">Anglican Communion</a>. He is also a preeminent Catholic <a href="/facts/Doctor_of_the_Church/P9u0StVX">Doctor of the Church</a> and the patron of the <a href="/facts/Augustinians/1A9zd7JX">Augustinians</a>. His memorial is celebrated on 28 August, the day of his death. Augustine is the <a href="/facts/Patron_saint/Gw1cv1vH">patron saint</a> of brewers, printers, theologians, and a number of cities and dioceses. His thoughts profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Many <a href="/facts/Protestantism/NXja4K3g">Protestants</a>, especially <a href="/facts/Calvinism/l95AzJtn">Calvinists</a> and <a href="/facts/Lutheranism/L4pMlRcS">Lutherans</a>, consider him one of the theological fathers of the <a href="/facts/Protestant_Reformation/9ClEbhnL">Protestant Reformation</a> due to his teachings on <a href="/facts/Salvation/vL69KuJB">salvation</a> and <a href="/facts/Divine_grace/NCqw0R5u">divine grace</a>. <a href="/facts/Protestant_Reformers/Y25HB3Ey">Protestant Reformers</a> generally, and <a href="/facts/Martin_Luther/7nwEeL0L">Martin Luther</a> in particular, held Augustine in preeminence among early <a href="/facts/Church_Fathers/U2aPanJQ">Church Fathers</a>. From 1505 to 1521, Luther was a member of the <a href="/facts/Order_of_the_Augustinian_Eremites/ze6oEuGM">Order of the Augustinian Eremites</a>.
In the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Christianity/ks2ztPhI">East</a>, his teachings are more disputed and were notably attacked by <a href="/facts/John_Romanides/M9RrNMMg">John Romanides</a>, but other theologians and figures of the Eastern Orthodox Church have shown significant approbation of his writings, chiefly <a href="/facts/Georges_Florovsky/Yez5G0vp">Georges Florovsky</a>. The most controversial doctrine associated with him, the <a href="/facts/Filioque/e7uEFjcX">filioque</a>, was rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Other disputed teachings include his views on original sin, the doctrine of grace, and <a href="/facts/Predestination/yd1eyA0G">predestination</a>. Though considered to be mistaken on some points, he is still considered a saint and has influenced some Eastern Church Fathers, most notably <a href="/facts/Gregory_Palamas/W2GKaV2J">Gregory Palamas</a>. In the <a href="/facts/Greek_Orthodox_Church/TDYMI9eg">Greek</a> and <a href="/facts/Russian_Orthodox_Church/AHbnwM6p">Russian Orthodox Churches</a>, his feast day is celebrated on 15 June.

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Augustine of Hippo