La Consolacion University Philippines

(formerly University of Regina Carmeli)

Graduate School Department

Name: LARA, CATHERINE E. June 25, 2021

MAN 204/ Augustinian Spirituality Professor: Prof. Ramonito Perez

Assignment No. 6
AUGUSTINE AS A PHILOSOPHER

1. Classical Greek thoughts (especially Plato) were borrowed by Augustine to formulate

Christian doctrines. What happens now to our Catholic Christian faith and religion? How
do you prove its credibility as authentic and pagan-free? How did Augustine explain God
using Plato’s philosophy of idealism or World of Ideas?

Greek philosophy has provided the modern world with a vast array of methods and
words useful in comparing different claims and effective in framing certain ideas. That
does not imply that thoughts discussed using the mechanics of Greek philosophy are
themselves drawn from the worldview of ancient Greece. On the contrary—what has
made Greek philosophy so enduring is its application to a wide range of divergent views.
When examining the influence of Greek philosophy on Christianity, this difference
is extremely important. On the one hand, Judeo-worldview, Christianity's morality, and
basic beliefs precede Greek thinkers. Many of Christianity's core ideas are diametrically
opposed to those of men like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The message of Christ was
“foolishness” to the Hellenistic (Greek) worldview, according to Paul, who frequently
battled Greek philosophers (Acts 17:18). (1 Corinthians 1:23). In this respect, it is
reasonable to conclude that Greek philosophy has had no impact on Christianity.
However, it is also true that Christianity arose in a civilization dominated by Greek
thought. Greek philosophy supplied a set of debate tools as well as an alternative
worldview with which to contrast the gospel to the early Christian church. As a result,
Greek philosophy has had a significant impact on the language, systems, and arguments
used by Christians throughout history to express their religion. To summarize, Greek
philosophy is not a literal foundation of Christian doctrine or a significant effect on
Christian spiritual views.
The connection between message and technique was clearly grasped by the early
church fathers. For example, Augustine linked a Christian's use of Greek philosophy to
Israel's use of Egyptian wealth during the Exodus (Exodus 12:25–36). He maintained that
philosophy, like any other physical tool, might be utilized correctly or incorrectly.
Augustine said that while philosophy was produced by an unholy society, it was ultimately
only a set of procedures and terminology that might be used to defend the truth.

2. Explain the "AHAA" moment of St. Augustine as mentioned in the video presentation.
How do you relate the experience of restlessness and longing for God in this particular
context?
“Our heart is restless until it rests in you.” The most persuasive evidence for God's
existence is this remark from St. Augustine. We may refer to our restless heart by other
names, such as our search for meaning, our need for importance, or the fuel that propels
our pursuit of wealth and power, but I think it is our soul yearning for its creator. That
longing lives within us until we find communion with God and experience his love. Our
restless souls can only find peace in God. Otherwise, we spend our days attempting to
drown out our yearnings with food, alcohol, money, sex, and power. Nothing seems to
work. Our restlessness, as described by St. Augustine, is the restlessness of spiritual
searching, the restlessness of encountering God, and the restlessness of love. The
hundreds of names we have for God reflect the restlessness of spiritual yearning.
I feel that regular encounters with God became a priority in my life. In the morning,
I spend a few minutes in prayer. As I read the Bible every day, I'm looking for God. We
pray God to show us himself as we go through our day as we walk out the door to begin
our day, thinking on what we've read. Thanking God for everything.
The most important aspect of this yearning for God is that we must feel God's love.
It may appear to be simple, and for some it is, but I have frequently struggled with it. My
inclination for self-condemnation makes me doubt God's ability to love a wretch like me.
My uncertainty is comparable to turning away from God's outstretched embrace, oblivious
to the fact that love is the remedy to this emptiness. Pure love does not notice our
imperfections the same way we do. We were made to be loved by the source of love.
God's love for us can't be anything else than love since God is love.
We must feel Jesus doing this as love poured out for us if we are to walk with him
to the cross. Every step is a gift of love. Let us strive to be so near to Jesus that our
suffering is devoured by the fire of his heart, allowing us to experience his perfect love.
Let us give God our restless hearts and trust in his love for us.