Christian Hedonism In The Case Of St. Augustine's Confessions

In the case of St. Augustine’s Confessions, I would believe that every individual that was able to discover and analyze the text could come to some form of conclusion whether or not Augustine ceased to pursuit of pleasure at the end of his conversion. With the context that was provided through the text along with the Piper’s article on Christian Hedonism, in my personal judgment, I came to the conclusion that Augustine did not cease his pursuit of pleasure after being converted, but would say that he began his journey as a Christian hedonist after his conversion. According to Piper and his input on the true meaning of what it is to be a hedonist is described to be the pursuit of some form of a pleasurable, satisfaction or happy sensation within …show more content…
His desires for love and happiness was still prevalent in his life, however, it was for another form of gratification. A new form of love that he longed for; this form of love was a love that was attempting to seek after God and all of his goodness as oppose to man and earthly matters. Since prior to Augustine’s conversion, he had earthly desires to love and to be loved and accepted by other individuals. Fortunately, Augustine did not have to find love in others rather than find his love in nonetheless, God himself. It was the temporary desires that did not suppress him or his desire to be out in the world. In reality, it was his conversion that in totality transformed his mind, body and soul onto the Lord and to render himself to him as well …show more content…
“I intend to remind myself of my past foulnesses and carnal corruptions, not because I love them but so that I may love you, my God” (Augustine, p.24). He now took pleasure in God and loving him as oppose to loving things of the world such as lust and fornication and any type of sins that gave him temporary pleasure and enjoyment. In the text it explains a little of how Augustine was able to find rest when he finally was able to find God; he was restless in the sinful actions as this was what he pursued before his conversion. Thankfully, after his conversion, Augustine was able to find rest in the Lord, “to praise you is the desire of man, a little please of creation. You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” (Augustine, p.3). With that, I would not say that since his conversion to God, that Augustine did not cease his sin or pleasure, as we all fall short of the glory of God. However, the pleasure that he did take part in was to find pleasure in God rather than finding pleasure in sinful acts of the