Augustine's Confessions: Friendship and Faith

• San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite is an Agustinian educational institution.
• The portrait of Saint Augustine was painted by Vittore Carpaccio, an Italian painter.

Introduction to Augustine's Confessions

• Augustine's Confessions is a mix of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible.
• The first nine books chronicle Augustine's life from his birth in 354 CE to his conversion to Catholicism in 386 CE.
• The last four books depart from autobiography and focus on religious and philosophical issues such as memory, time, eternity and the interpretation of the Book of Genesis.

Friendship

• Augustine's experience suggests that it must be rooted on a strong foundation.
• True friends see God's presence in each other.
• Augustine's journey of friendship and growth are linked to his conversion.

God as the Root of Friendship

• Classical Concept of Friendship according to Cicero: Friendship harmonizes human and divine elements with benevolence and divine things
• Horace, a Latin poet, described a friend as "the other half of the soul." (Conf. 4,11)
• Christian perspective on friendship is a bond created by the Holy Spirit.
• Holy Spirit loves you and your friend.

Key Principles in Augustinian Friendship

• The first step in friendship, according to Augustine, is to love all in God and because of God.
• Augustine distinguished between a "friend" in the strict sense and a "friendly attitude" within the Catholic Church

Friendship as the Essence of Community Life

• In life, one may have a small circle of close friends.
• The authentic spirit of community may require a more extensive network.
• A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, a treasure

The Close Friendship

• Horace said, "Dimidium animae meae.", meaning half my soul, I am incomplete without you
  • Lasting Friendship
  • Mutual Help
  • Mutual Search for God
  • Brothers in the community
  • Mutual Goal: Forming a community and building a Church.
• St. Alypius of Thagaste

The Three "S" of Friendship according to Saint Augustine

• Sincere
• Strong
• Spiritual

Sincere

• Desire the truth, and reveal it to everyone

Strong

• Friendship is an art

Spiritual

• If God is not the point of reference for departure and end goal, Augustine will not consider the Christian a Friend.
• One truly loves a friend when hateful or damaging behaviors are noticed and addressed.

Alypius: Fond of Gladiador Fight

• Saint Augustine underscored that living this kind of friendship means developing an interest in the development of the friend as a person.
• Being brave enough means to be direct in what you do, and tell the truth.

Friendship: Communitarian

• Three things are in connection to friendship in the community:
  • To be kind and welcoming.
  • Benevolence
  • Charity
• All relationships should be ruled by charity and love.
• “Carry each other's burden, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Gal.6:2)
• Recognize every person as the face of Christ. (Mt. 25:40)
• The Augustinian Friendly Attitude.

To be Welcoming

• Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan, taught Augustine to be kind and welcoming, to have compassion.

Benevolence

• Benevolence connotes a strong concern for the community, leading to the achievement of eternal life in God and with God.
• Comes from Latin, "bene volere," defined as, "To wish the good."
• "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rm 12:21)"
• The basis of friendship is God and his love.