St. Augustine’s Confessions & the Interior Altar of the Heart | Professor Chad Pecknold
Jan 23, 2024
auto_awesome
Professor Chad Pecknold discusses St. Augustine's Confessions, exploring topics such as the nature of the person, the concept of the interior altar of the heart, the limitations of intellect, the role of memory, the Eucharist as a cure for disintegration, and the significance of confession and right worship.
Our hearts must be aligned with the sacrifice of Christ to fulfill our natural desire for God.
Offering prayers as sacrifices for others, when united with Christ's sacrifice, has a powerful impact.
The Eucharist serves as the ultimate sacrifice, integrating our lives and offering the hope of unity with God.
Deep dives
The importance of the interior altar of the heart
Augustine explores the idea that our hearts are like interior altars that can either be oriented towards God or towards demons. He emphasizes that our natural desire for God can only be fulfilled when our interior altars are in alignment with the external altar of Christ's sacrifice. This reorientation is necessary for our hearts to find rest and for us to make a proper offering to God.
The power of vicarious sacrifice
Augustine reflects on the prayers and sacrifices of his mother, Monica, and how they were efficacious in his own conversion. He highlights that offering prayers as sacrifices on behalf of others, when united to the sacrifice of Christ, can have a powerful impact. This demonstrates the importance of communal worship and interceding for others in our spiritual journey.
The limitations of philosophical ascent
Augustine explores his own pursuit of philosophical ascent, particularly influenced by the Platonists. He acknowledges that while the Platonic philosophy led him to some understanding of the transcendent God, it couldn't provide the means to unite the mind with God in a way that the Christian faith does. He realizes that only through the sacrifice of Christ can we truly be united with God and achieve the happiness we long for.
The Eucharist as the ultimate sacrifice
Augustine emphasizes the significance of the Eucharist as the ultimate sacrifice and the key to integrating the various parts of our lives. He describes how receiving the Eucharist and participating in the liturgy fills him with joy and has a purifying effect on the interior altar of his heart. The Eucharist serves as a remedy for disintegration and offers the hope of unity with God and the communion of the saints.
The role of memory in our spiritual journey
Augustine contemplates the role of memory in our pursuit of God. He recognizes that our memories store images and impressions that can either lead us closer to God or away from Him. Augustine encourages us to examine our memories and recognize our natural longing for God. He highlights the need for our memories to be aligned with the worship of God and integrated into the temple of our hearts.
This lecture was given on October 16th, 2023, at The College of William and Mary.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events
About the speaker:
Dr. Chad Pecknold received his PhD from the University of Cambridge (UK) and since 2008 he has been a Professor of Historical & Systematic Theology in the School of Theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He teaches in the areas of fundamental theology, Christian anthropology, and political theology. Pecknold is the author of a number of scholarly articles and books including most recently, Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History (Cascade, 2010) and The T&T Clark Companion to Augustine and Modern Theology (Bloomsbury, 2014). Dr. Pecknold is also a frequent contributor to debates in the public square, writing regular columns for First Things and
National Review on a range of topics related to the importance and impact of Church teaching on social and political questions. Dr. Pecknold is frequently sought after for his opinion on current events, and has been quoted in hundreds of news outlets around the world such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. A self-described "Augustinian-Thomist," Pecknold is an Associate Editor for the English Edition of the international Thomistic journal of theology, Nova et Vetera, and co-edits with Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., the new Sacra Doctrina series at Catholic University of America Press. Dr Pecknold is currently writing a book on Augustine’s City of God. Dr. Pecknold resides in Alexandria, VA with his wife, Dr. Sara Pecknold (who teaches Music history at CUA) and their five kids.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode