A Study of Augustine's Gradual Conversion to Christianity

Subject Areas : Christianity

مهدی  حسن زاده ¹ (ندارد)
الهام  موحدی ² (ندارد)

Received: 2013-01-08 Accepted : 2013-03-05 Published : 2012-09-22

Keywords: Augustine, Conversion, Christianity, Christian experience,

Abstract :

Against theories that express Augustine's conversion to Christianity asan instantaneous event, there are evidences that prove it as a gradualand time-consuming process. There were contextual factors- includingreligious policy of that time, the economy, his family, and his ownpersonal experiences- that made the Christianity as the strongestpossibility for his conversion; because in all of these factorsChristianity was the focal point. Also other factors such as his ownspiritual crisis and quest, the activities of Christian missionaries, andinteraction with persons who had converted to Christianity or hearingtheir stories, made him more and more eager, so that he decided toaccept his feeling about Christianty. Eventually, the well-knownexperience of hearing the voice of the baby made him to convert toChristianty. However his internal development did not cease at thisphase; it continued until he reached to an inner peace and did exercisestrong influences on Christian theology.