Recovering our memory: Augustine (of Hippo)

Name: Augustine (of Hippo)
When: 354 – 430
Where: Bishop of Hippo in modern-day Algeria

So what?

Augustine is one of the most important Christian thinkers of any age. He is really helpful for thinking through the relationship between church and state; what baptism is and does; the difference between the “visible” and “invisible” church; and loads of other things. But probably his most important contribution was in response to the writings of a British monk named Pelagius, and to the thought of “semi-Pelagians”. Here is an attempt to outline these three complex theological views through three pictures of animals…

Duck: Baby ducks simply do what mummy duck does, to reach home. Pelagianism: We need freely to choose to follow Him, living like Him, so that we can go to heaven. Jesus is my example. I save myself.

Chimp: Baby chimps can’t get home themselves. They need to choose to climb onto mummy chimp’s back, and then cling on till they reach home. Semi-Pelagianism: Jesus is our Saviour. We need to decide to cry out to Him to save us, and then to keep deciding to cling onto Him, living rightly so we can go to heaven. Jesus is my Saviour, who I choose.

Kangaroo: In times of danger, mummy kangaroo picks up baby kangaroo and puts baby into her pouch, then carries baby safely home. Augustinianism: We cannot cry out to be saved, because we only ever freely choose to sin. We need God to send His Spirit to change our will and give us faith in Jesus and the ability to live His way, and then keep working in this way, until we reach heaven. Jesus is my Saviour, who chooses me.

A verse Augustine often quoted was John 15 v 16, where Christ says: “You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last”. He saw Pelagians as non-Christians; he said semi-Pelagians were brothers in Christ, who were mistaken in some areas. These three views are still well-represented in the church worldwide. Very generally speaking, in Protestantism today, “liberals” are Pelagian; “Arminians” are semi-Pelagian; and “Reformed” or “Calvinists” are Augustinian.

Random fact: Before he became a Christian, Augustine lived with a woman who he never married, and had a son by her. He also later became a Christian, and was (unsurprisingly, given his father!) very clever.

Good quote: “Salvation is not by grace if our goodness came first.”

Prayer of thanks:
Heavenly Father, Thank you that you are a God of grace. Thank you that salvation is your work, from first to last. Thank you for choosing me simply because you love me. Thank you for sending your Son to die for me, and for sending your Spirit to free my will so that I could put my faith in Him. Help me never to steal any of your glory by thinking I saved myself in any way. Amen.”