In this episode of pplpod, we delve into the life of Aurelius Augustinus, known to history as Augustine of Hippo—a figure whose writings defined the course of Western Christianity and philosophy. Born in 354 in Roman Africa to a pagan father and a devout Christian mother, Saint Monica, Augustine’s journey began not with holiness, but with a "hedonistic lifestyle" and a search for truth that led him first to Manichaeism,,. We discuss his early years, including his relationship with a concubine, his son Adeodatus, and his famous, reluctant prayer: "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet",.

We trace his intellectual and spiritual evolution, from his career as a rhetoric professor in Carthage and Milan to his pivotal encounter with Bishop Ambrose and his conversion to Christianity after hearing a child’s voice say, "take up and  ...