What did Augustine feel about pagan writings? What did he believe humans could be certain of, and how did he arrive at his conclusion? How, according to Augustine, could humans best experience God?
St. Augustine (354-430 AD) was a famous writer and two of his most important literary works include “The City of God” and “The Confessions”. He was born at a time when the great Constantine had died and the almighty Roman Empire was slowly fading away.
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St. Augustine felt that Pagan writings posed a question of a motivation with the citizens either living with the philosophies that the world possesses, or they were using them to move towards a Christian end.
He believed that humans could be certain of the fact that humans doubt a thing, could not be doubted. This extreme philosophy is based on the subjective inner experience, also known as the introspection. The independent thought process of any person keeps him maintain a separate entity of his own and brings him closer to the divine almighty or God.
According to St. Augustine, humans could best experience God by not waiting for his death, but by living a good life in the lifetime of the individual. He argued that every person has a subjective experience, which he feels within his mind. This inner experience brings a person closer to God.
He also said that introspection brings a person closer to god, that is, by inspecting and analyzing the experiences of one’s mind, a person develops a personal relation with God. Also, the state which is reached by a person while he is in love or in some form of ecstasy brings him closer to God.