Nature Of Friendship In Confessions By Saint Augustine

In Confessions by Saint Augustine he vouches that the only two essential things in this world are life and friendship. According to Augustine’s claim, God created man on this earth to do two things: breathe and live. While these are imperative functions of human life, Augustine goes even further, declaring that to be a whole person, one must cultivate a life that is improved by friendship. Augustine interpreted others’ theories about the nature of friendship. After reading their prospects and notions of friendship, he critically analyzed what they had to suggest by reflecting in an intellectual manner. However, Augustine also viewed friendship as an important part of his life, and he evaluated his friendships over the course of the three …show more content…
During the course of Augustine’s life he became a close friend to many, not just those who were affiliated within his community. The experience that he had with certain friends were a pivotal aspect of the stories and reflections written in Confessions. Over the course of Augustine’s life, he shows maturity in his interactions with his friends and begins to alter his selfish behavior. During Augustine’s spiritual journey he has dealt with friends that diverged him from his spiritual calling and friends that brought him closer to his calling. Relationships that both improved and stunted his spiritual development shed light on Augustine’s morality because certain actions put Augustine’s morals into question. His moral development should also be scrutinized because his attitude and the underdevelopment of his prefrontal cortex affects his decision making leading him into multiple dilemmas. In this essay I will assess Augustine’s moral development over the course of his life using Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory on the six stages of moral development These tales will tell Augustine’s audience about the true meaning of friendship and why it is a prominent component to the livelihood of all human …show more content…
Augustine learns more about himself and how much the his new friends, have cultivated his understanding friends he made to heal Augustine. He had overcome his lustful habits and became a man of faith. Augustine has grown personally through moral and religious development and is on has grown to have mutual respect for all people and friendships. At the end of book 8 Augustine has become a full person, one who values his friendships. After assessing his previous friendships it is easy to see how Augustine has valued each one. As a Christian, Augustine has opened up to be a friend to all that believe and accept the same things he does. His fellow Christians are his community that he surrounds himself with. Over the course of Confessions Augustine has grown himself and through his