The Confessions of Saint Augustine

Augustine of Hippo is one of the most important thinkers for Western theology and philosophy. His understanding of the self, of sin, of redemption, and of sanctification set the tone for all subsequent theology. Even those who disagree with him must still interact with the effects of his thought. In his Confessions, Augustine gives a theocentric testimonial of his conversion experience and his growing understanding of God. This crucial work introduced the idea of the inner self to the world. It was the first work that struggled to understand the inner life—the life of the mind. Its place at the beginning of the development of the autobiography is undeniable.