Learning from the Past

I am more and more loving whatever is old, more specifically, centuries old.



In following Jesus, I'd rather hear accumulated wisdom rather than novelty.

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Northern Africa in the 4th Century is such a person for me. He is probably the most influential theologian in the history of the church--we are still feeling the effects of his thoughts--good and bad (for instance, his views on sexuality were extremely mixed-up and the church is just now getting over them).



Some of his well-know one liners:

• You have made us for Yourself and our hearts are restless till they rest in You.
• Love the Sinner, hate the sin.
• Heart speaks to heart.
• To sing once is to pray twice.
• An unjust law is no law at all.
• Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are. (Maybe that inspired Obama?)

And one of my favorite longer quotes about how Jesus captured his heart and imagination:
Late have I loved you, O beauty so ancient
and so new. Late have I loved you! You
were within me while I have gone outside
to seek you. Unlovely myself, I rushed towards
all those lovely things you had made. And
always you were with me, and I was not with
you.



All these beauties have kept me far from
you--although they would not have existed
at all unless they had their being in you.



You called,
you cried,
you shattered my darkness.
You sparkled,
you blazed,
you drove away my blindness.