8 - The Spiritual Resurrection of Augustine’s Soul

Summary

Chapter 8 analyzes Augustine’s narration, in Confessiones, of his experience of the spiritual resurrection of his dead soul. As Augustine confesses, God graciously and gradually lifts him up from his descent into the triple sin of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and worldly ambition (1 Jn 2:16) along an ascent into the baptismal and ecclesial life of put[ting] on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14). Augustine’s various presentations of the degree of his spiritual death, however, do not map neatly onto his threefold schematization of the soul’s paschal mystery. By these complications, Augustine suggests that he cannot coherently grasp the unfathomable depths of his spiritual death, which eludes his comprehension, but not the reach of God’s resurrecting power. As baptized Catholics, Augustine and Monica ascend together in hope for the beatific resurrection of the Church, entrusting themselves completely to the Eucharistic mercy of the Lord.