Augustine himself is considered the greatest theologian of the western church.  Among his efforts in life he is credited for his criticisms of the Pelagian and Donatists heretics, and inventing the spiritual autobiography is his book Confessions.  His criticisms of the heretics were later used by the Roman Catholic Church on church authority.  His writings on original sin, election, and grace were used by the Reformers in the foundations of their movements.  Augustine was a Christian convert as an adult.  He had been a scholar prior to his conversion.  This was of great benefit to him in explaining the faith to the church.  A few years after his conversion he was appointed Bishop of Regius in North Africa.  Augustine’s formal training and knowledge of education was of great value to the early church.  It allowed him to explain the basic principals of teaching and understanding in such a way that led to the scholastic endeavors of the church.  His most famous work aside from his doctrines written on such things as the Trinity, original sin, church authority, etc., was his book Confession.  This is a spiritual autobiography.  It is a unique autobiography because it is the first known autobiography emphasizing a Christian’s spiritual life and experience.  This review is concerned with the book On Christian Teaching which emphasizes both the study and teaching of scripture.

On Christian Teaching was written by Augustine of Hippo in the late 390s.  Augustine states that it is a book written for those with the will and the wit to learn.  The book is divided into five categories:  a Preface to his critics, Book One is concerned with signs, Book Two is concerned with literal signs, Book Three is concerned with ambiguities in scripture, and Book Four is concerned with the teaching of those things we have learned.  On Christian Teaching is best surmised in the first sentence of Book One:  There are two things on which all interpretation of scripture depends:  the process of discovering what we need to learn, and the process of presenting what we have learned.

In the preface of this book, Augustine address his critics.  He states that there are three kinds of critics.  There are those who fail to understand his rules, those who try but are unable to apply the rules, and there are those who believe that they can expound on the scriptures without the application of rules.  Those who do not believe that any application of rules is necessary are of the greatest concern to Augustine.  This group believes this because they feel that understanding of scripture is a gift which does not require any rules.  Augustine counters this belief by explaining that the apostles spoke in tongues at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit but that does not mean that people who do not have the experience of speaking in tongues should give up on their faith.  Instead they should be taught by a human teacher who understands the art of teaching.  Augustine uses the example of the apostle Paul who was enlightened by Christ but was baptized into the faith by human beings.  Augustine acknowledges that such things can be administered by angels but God chooses to act through man as a witness and teacher of the faith.

Book One states all teaching is teaching of either things or signs.  However, not every thing is a sign.  Augustine lists some examples of things that become signs -- the sheep that Abraham sacrificed to God in place of his son, and the log Moses threw into the water to sweeten its taste.  The sheep and the log become more than things, they become signs.  Things for the purpose of teaching have other purposes.  Some things are to be enjoyed, others to be used, and still others are to be both enjoyed and used.  We enjoy something when we value it, such as a house that becomes a home.  For other things we only value its use, such as a tool like a hammer or shovel.  The remainder of Book One is a discussion of things and our love for them.  Augustine discusses the correct form of love that we have for things and the incorrect forms of love that we express for things.  He explains that there are four things which are to be loved:  one, that which is above us; two, that which we are; three, that which is close to us; four, that which is beneath us.  Augustine makes use of the two great commandments to explain our proper expression of love toward things.  The first commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul.  The second commandment is love our fellow man as ourselves.

In Book Two, Augustine discusses signs.  He says that some signs are natural, such as those we see from the earth, i.e. red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.  Others are given from one living thing to another, the most prominent of which is words.  This is how humans reveal truths to others.  The three stages of signs are discussed:  fear, holiness, and knowledge.  Fear, holiness, and knowledge work together.  This is plainly stated in scripture.  The fear of God is the beginning of all knowledge.  Knowledge is the area in which all teachers and students can constructively work to improve themselves.  Augustine identifies two types of signs, literal and metaphorical.  In this book he discusses at great length the use of these signs in all areas of study.  This includes science, numbers, language, and history.  In this discussion he make his famous statements, Christians should use the knowledge of Pagans in the same way the Hebrews plundered the treasures of the Egyptians.  That is, we should use the knowledge of every subject for the glory of God.  He also makes it clear that we should not use the things to attain some sort of personal happiness or security.  He warns that this will lead to failure of the worst kind.

In Book Three, Augustine discusses the application of signs, or knowledge, for the purpose of understanding Christian scripture.  The first idea that he discusses is the “rule of faith.”  This is to be applied whenever scripture seems ambiguous.  This is the analysis of determining which interpretation is most true to God’s intentions based on what is known from other scripture.  He also makes clear that the process of punctuation is very critical.  This gives the correct emphasis to the main idea of a sentence.  Augustine makes clear that the most difficult task is that of discerning the ideas of metaphorical language.  One should take special care not to interpret things intended as metaphors as literal speech.  The example given is that of Christ's words This is my body, eat it in remembrance of me.  People should also be careful not to become slaves to signs and use them in destructive ways.  Augustine states that we should be careful to discuss things as they were intended.  Those things that were intended to be literal should be taught as literal and those things that are intended to be figurative should be taught as figurative.  He concludes this book with the ideas given by the Donatist, Tyconius, who identified seven rules for interpreting scripture.  The first, the Lord and his body, refers to the Lord as its head and the Church as its body.  The second rule is the Lord’s twofold body, the flesh which is temporary and the spirit which is eternal.  The third rule is the promises and the law, which could also be called on grace and commandment.  The fourth is on species and genus, a secular term referring to creation.  The fifth rule is the measurement of time, which in scripture is not explicit.  Recapitulation is the sixth rule, indicating that the scripture does not follow in strict chronological order.  Rather, it occasionally reverts back to a previous period in time.  The seventh rule is that of the devil and his body, similar to the Lord and his Church.  The devil is the ultimate evil one who will be joined in hell by the damned of mankind.

Book Four is concerned with the presentation of the signs discussed in Books One, Two, and Three.  The first attribute to good presentation is eloquence.  This cannot be learned, it becomes a part of who you are through study and observation of eloquent preachers.  People are not capable of thinking of the rules of eloquence and articulating an eloquent discourse at the same time.  The defender of the faith must persuade the antagonist, rouse the apathetic, and teach the uneducated.  If a speaker is hoping to educate, he must teach the uneducated.  If a speaker is hoping to educate he must know his facts.  If a preacher is hoping to move the apathetic, he must depend on oratory skills that evoke people’s emotions and moves them to action.  One must be careful not to become eloquent without fact.  This is because people will follow someone who is eloquent, assuming that because he is eloquent, he is speaking the truth.  Someone like this can cause a great deal of damage to his followers.  As Augustine states eloquent speakers give pleasures, wise ones salvation.  Augustine uses the apostle Paul as an example of both an eloquent and knowledgeable preacher.  However, he stresses the importance of knowledge when he quotes Paul, even if I am unskilled in speaking I am not so in knowledge (2 Cor. 11:16).  Augustine states that a good teacher is careful in translation to use words that reflect the original meaning of the text.  A teacher should strive to educate his students, surveying their reactions to determine if they in fact understood what is said.  Once students understand, a good teacher moves on to another point or concludes the lesson.  The purpose of good teaching is to reveal what has been hidden.  Another characteristic of a good teacher is to move people to do what is necessary for the Kingdom of God.

The goal of a good orator is to be heard with understanding, pleasure, and obedience.  There are three styles of speaking:  grand, which moves people into action; a moderate style which is used to praise; and a restrained style used to teach.  When a sermon has only one style, it is not heard as well as one that has a mixture of styles.  Also, each individual has their own unique presentation which gives the sermon character and invites people to listen.

Augustine closes Book Four with spiritual warnings.  He states that a minister should preach his sermons for the benefit of his congregation not in this life but the next.  On the last pages of Book Four he reminds us that we should pray as Queen Esther did for the words to persuade the people, for if it was critical for her to deliver a moving speech for her peoples temporal salvation, how much more important is it for us to speak persuasively for men’s eternal salvation.  He states that we should pray after receiving our words, that we present them effectively and that the words will be received.  He also reminds us to give thanks for a favorable outcome to God whose hands hold us and our sermons alike.

On Christian Teaching is classic Augustine.  One is tempted to call it a work of genius if it was not for the fact that this would be insulting the work of the Holy Spirit which is channeled through Augustine into our minds.  Augustine was probably the greatest writer that the Western Church had known since the Apostle Paul.  There is no doubt that Augustine was able to articulate doctrines of faith in a conclusive way which became the accepted doctrines that are still part of the church today.  He is certainly among the greats of the faith such as Irenaeus, Vincent of Lerins, Martin Luther, and John Calvin.

Augustine’s address to his critics addresses all critics of the faith and teaching of all of time.  It is usually true that our worst critics are within the faith.  Some of these are innocent and intend no harm.  However, the critic that places his own ego or agenda above the basic tenants of the faith cuts the widest path of destruction.  Augustine deals with those who are not willing to test their own understanding of scripture.  He so emphasizes that we all ultimately learn the scripture and lessons of faith from each other.  Therefore, as teachers it is critical that we have a correct understanding of the faith.

Book One’s statement that all teaching is teaching of either things or signs outlines the most basic of teaching principals.  However, if we fail to comprehend this basic concept we will be unable to build a structure for the lack of foundation.  He relates this to application within the faith.  This is critical in our response to different things, such as our relationship with God and each other.

In Book Two Augustine turns to those things that are signs.  Again he uses a simple principal to explain the complex.  Christian teachers must understand these principals and apply them correctly.  It is certainly critical for a teacher to understand the difference between what is metaphorical and what is literal.  In this book Augustine also gives his famous advice to all teachers to use the knowledge of the secular world to enhance the teaching of God.  He relates this to the Hebrews plundering of the Egyptians for their survival in the desert.  Augustine always places his goal on the importance of understanding the faith.  He understood that teaching and knowledge are not for our own purposes.  They are for the purpose of understanding God.

Book Three is concerned with the application of signs.  That is, obtaining knowledge for the purpose of understanding Christian scripture.  His first advice is to always follow the “rule of faith” in matters of ambiguity.  This is perhaps his best advice.  Often scholars will use these scriptures to confuse or complicate man’s relationship with God.  Augustine understands that the men who compiled the scripture wrote it with the intention of glorifying God.  The major point of this book is for scholars to regard the interpretation of scripture as the most careful of all task.  It is our understanding of faith that will mold and direct the beliefs of so many other people in scripture.

Book Four is concerned with the presentation of what has been learned in the three previous books.  Augustine understands that eloquence is crucial to delivery.  However, it is not nearly as important as presenting the truth.  Augustine goes on to stress the importance of understanding the students what motivates them and what is critical to a correct understanding of the faith.  Augustine discusses the various styles of teaching and which style works best with whom.  Augustine’s observation of these simple skills is brilliant advice for the scholar, teacher, or preacher to employ with his work in teaching the faith.

Augustine focuses on the use of research and presentation for the teaching of the faith.  His conclusion to the text is with the advice to pray.  This is not the least of his advice in the text.  Augustine’s training as a scholar prior to his conversion as well as the gifts of teaching and presenting the faith are apparent in this work.  He weaves the scripture into the lesson through out the text.  The only criticism I would make of this book is Augustine’s tendency to over-explain or discuss particular points of the text.  However, his observations of the simple mechanics of human understanding, speaking, and presentation are masterful.  It is obvious that God has seen in him the abilities of Paul and others to explain God and Christ in such a way that even the beginning student can understand and apply his advice into our work of preaching.