Confessions Truth Quotes

This truth is a little different from the other truths. Instead of being about philosophical or theological grandeur, this truth is about the truth of the past—i.e., "what happened" in the most basic sense. So this passage is an example of a rhetorical question. But why does Augustine implore God at this particular moment? This is right after Augustine tells us about what a fanboy he was for Faustus, so it seems like Augustine just wants to reassure God that he's telling him the honest-to-God truth. So maybe part of confessing is an adherence to telling the truth, even when that truth is unflattering.

Well, we guess it doesn't make much sense to give up worldly aims just for the sake of it. You see, by now, Augustine has gotten the sense that maybe Manichaeism isn't the way to go, but that still doesn't mean that Christianity is. Plus, it's really convenient for Augustine to write off Christianity until its truth is starring him in the face, because Christianity has all these demands about giving up "worldly aims" (read: sex, ambition, pride). It's like a barter: no truth, no piety. Also, we should point out how truth, which before was a rock, has now become light. This is definitely not the last you will see of this whole light metaphor, so it's worth noting.

See what we meant about light? Okay, but the million-dollar question is really: what is the Light? It would be easy to say God, and probably not incorrect, but why doesn't Augustine just say "God" then? Are "Light" and "truth" and "God" synonymous? Well, sometimes Augustine capitalizes the word "truth," and sometimes he doesn't. Same goes for "light." And God is always capitalized in the Christian faith, right…?