“St.

Augustine Motives in Writing

this Book”
In the course of Easter Season, Augustine commonly
preached his reflection on the First Epistle of John intended
for the newly baptized Christian at Easter Vigil. Because of
this, there are some speculation that it was mystagogical
cathecheses, i. e, explanations of the Easter sacraments,
or mysteries. In fact, Augustine mention some topics
Hence,related
in histo the sacraments-
preaching, new
homilies, helife,
citedenlightenment,
anointing,
direct water,about
statements and other baptismal themes, and the
the sacraments
particularly ondemands
baptismofwhich
Christian morality.
is more
emphasized than others. Nonetheless,
whatever purpose and intention does
Augustine wrote these works, homilies, are
merely sermons on a specific book in the
New Testament that are by and large
unrelated to the liturgical season in which
Augustine’s Preaching
As bishop at Augustine
of Hippo (Annaba), Hipporeveals his
zealous leadership and concern towards the Church
and in his small community in the Archdiocese, by
teaching them that those who hate the members of
Christ cannot truly love Christ- even if they profess
the faith verbally or by name. These words
expressed by Augustine are his personal defensed
against the Donatist communities (311) which co-
existed side by side with the Catholic Church
predominantly in North Africa.
Because of this Schism, Augustine were forced to
engage in a debate wherein he developed his
personal interpretation of the true identity of the
Church. For him, there is only one universal church
in the world, “The Catholic Church”.
 Augustine’s Response to the
Controversies
In his Homilies on the First Epistle of John, he saw the
Donatist Schism as a reach of charity. In other word, he marked them
as traitors or betrayers (of the true Church) because they handed
over the sacred text to the Roman authorities for burning and they
prohibited Christians who are imprisoned to eat. Due to this reason,
Augustine view these (action) as ungratefulness, uncharitable,
disrespectful, and impertinent. Because they were former member of the
true Church yet they did acts that are very contradicting from the
teaching of Jesus Christ. However, in spite of these cruelties, (or
persecution) he continued to remind
To be a Christian is tothe Christians
learn on the
how to love- even the worse
enemyabout
teaching of Christ and Augustine reiterated
love, to love he who loves
your neighbor and tohis brothers
love your
tolerate
enemy, everything
love those for
whothe sake of persecute unity,
you, inbecause brotherly
which the love
1st John
exists in the unity
2:10 evoked, “he of charity.
who lovesFinally, it is love
his brother thatinwill
abides thestill unite and there
light,
the
is noChurch
scandaltheinpeople
him”. without the presence of love- the Church is not the
Church.
 Augustine’s Response to the
Controversies
In another perspective, Augustine also noticed the ‘self-proclaimed
holiness of donatist teaching’. According to him, they embraced a lofty
ideal of moral purity and claimed holiness as something unique to them.
This is why, they created a notion within their church that if they
tolerated sinners they were in danger of being excluded from God’s
favour which salvation. In this matter they were pertaining to the
member of the Church- if they will not pass through rebaptism, salvation
could no longer be bestowed upon them. For this reason, the
sacraments of the Catholic Church, administered by its hierarchy,
particularly baptism, are invalid. Because they are not members of
the Church (donatist) and the holiness of their church is different
that of the donatism. Contradictory speaking, Augustine from his
Homily II stated a questions; who are worse, those who
scorned him because they considered him as a man, or
 Conclusion: Augustine’s Intention in
Writing this Work + Reflection
What Augustine did was something
Augustine intention in that I need to be inspired of. He was so
writing homilies like this, is furious to defend the orthodoxy of the
to counterfeit Donatist Catholic Church. He refuted various false
doctrine and to protect the doctrine, i.e, heresy. He shows us how
Church from tremendous truth rotate around the Catholic Church.
attacks of other sects. It is Nowadays people are looking for
in this regard that someone that could interpret and defend
Augustine wrote homilies the teachings of the Church. As a
which speak of the religious, I see my self as someone
orthodoxy of the Catholic that should be in the frontlines. It is
Christian in his time. Many my responsibility to give witness to
try to destroy and the teaching of the Church. It
eliminate the truth of its is also my mission to share and
faith but because of spread the truth about faith.
Augustine’s wit and So I pray that like St. Augustine I may