In Book 10, Augustine questions where his knowledge of God comes from. He asks where he learned of God because he knows that he did not have a previous knowledge of him. He does not know how he found God to learn about him. He says that since he learned of God, he has found the Lord in his memory. It reminds me a lot of what we read in Plato. Do we know what virtue is because we learn it, or do we recall it? If we learn it, where do we learn it from? Augustine is asking the same questions about his knowledge of God. Obviously, Augustine believes that God reveals things to us through his word. However, it seems that he is talking about his knowledge of God outside of scripture. Perhaps it is a mystery of God that we will never know or perhaps there is an answer. Any thoughts?
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ReplyDeleteThroughout the Confessions, Augustine makes a clear argument for what Calvinists would refer to as Total Depravity. He states that the only reason he turned to God is because God first turned to him. Which leads to the speculation that he probably believed that all of his knowledge of God was revealed to him by God instead of being gained from his own knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI am of the belief that we learn of God through experiencing Him rather than simply recalling His existence. It feels more logical that way, and perhaps more meaningful of an experience rather than simply remember something you already knew.
ReplyDeleteI believe that we gain knowledge rather than recall it. However, I believe that it isnt something we do all by ourselves but rather given to us by God.
ReplyDeleteAugustine has such a deep understanding of God. It seems natural that he would question how that could be. I believe he gained that knowledge through not only the Bible but through his experiences and seeking before his conversion.
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