COMMUNITY LIFE IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF ST. AUGUSTINE

Abstract

Community life or communion of life is essential to most religious institutes. For the Augustinians, community life is understood as the axis around which their life revolves. Therefore, this essay explores St. Augustine of Hippo’s perspective on and understanding of community life. The major focus of the essay is St. Augustine’s special preference of communion of life and sharing of things in common as the best way to seek God and to seek and arrive at knowledge and truth. The essay concentrates therefore, on the phenomena and events that influenced Augustine’s understanding and approach to community life, his concrete experience of community life and his theological, sociological and evangelical teaching on community life. The essay concludes with the assertion that Augustine’s perspective on community life is as relevant today as it was in his days.