Start Reading Augustine's Confessions

In Genesis 38, a story interrupts the Toledot of Jacob (Gen 37:2). However, what looks like an interruption (and a strange one at that) plays an important part in the story of Jacob. In this story, Judah marries the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua, and they have three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah (38:2–5). Given the importance of not marrying Canaanites for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the story opens with a hint that something is not right.

If you've ever heard about Augustine, you may have heard about his famous pear tree, where he took the pears. It's on the cover of almost every version of the Confessions, and it is well known.It's the subject, mostly, of the second book of his Confessions. It takes up a lot of time, and it might feel a little confusing for people who are unused to the sort of thing that it is. In order to explain it, I want to bring out a number of factors that might explain why it was so important to him.

If you want to read Augustine's Confessions, then start. This is the first in a series of short podcasts that will talk about it, book by book. Pick up and read!

At the Council of Ephesus in 431, bishops and leaders there placed the Gospel books upon a throne. It signified that whatever statements or decisions were made there would be made under the reign of Jesus. The council synod formed in order to protect the “true faith.” And thus its members began deliberations “with the holy gospel-book set before [us] on the midmost throne to indicate that Christ himself was present with us.”

Whenever someone on the internet calls some one or thing Gnostic, I can almost guarantee that this will be an inaccurate accusation. After all, the dualism present in gnosticism was not unique to them. What likely marks them off as a distinct group is, as David Brakke argues, their mythology. And I do not think anyone today holds to their myths.

On May 15th, Pope Leo XIV published an Encyclical Letter called Magnifica Humanitas (noble humanity).

The literal sense is not so easy to define. Get a room with four people and read Isaiah 53. You may find everyone agrees on the verbal sense, but each person thinks the text is about a different person or thing!

Overcome fear with hope and courage. Here are some thoughts from Seneca.

📺 Thanks for listening!☕ If you've found this content helpful or entertaining, consider buying me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/wagraham.🌐 For more of my content, articles, and thoughts, visit my website: https://www.wyattgraham.com/🎓 Support the Davenant Institute's work here: https://davenantinstitute.org/giving/🔔 If you enjoyed this video, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future uploads.💬 Questions or comments? Drop them below! 👇

Eternal relations of authority and submission wrongly describe God's life, but we need to be careful we don't affirm Nestorianism as we are argue against this position: