Review of St Augustine's Sin
30 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "St Augustine's Sin" by Joe Baker.]
Statistics of clerical child sexual abuse (cCSA) have continued to increase over the years. As reported by the UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), "more than 100 allegations of cCSA have been reported each year since 2016." So the big question is: could Augustine's teachings on infantile guilt and culpability be what is influencing how the clergy feels about children?
St. Augustine's Sin: Why Child Abuse Bedevils Christianity by Joseph Baker is a book about how British children are taught religion in schools. It focuses on the teachings of Catholics and the Church of England and how this makes children chastise themselves for being sinful and encourages self-blame. In addition, this book carefully analyzed Augustine of Hippo's fourth-century teaching about infants being born with original sin and how it had fostered a negative mindset in people. The author elucidates how Augustinian indoctrination has impacted his life and the lives of others. He recounts his own childhood experience and tells that of others.
This book has some positive aspects that I noted. First, it is well-researched, and sources were referenced. This is one of the best aspects of this book for me because it gives readers further reading material. This book trashes the religious notion that infants are born with original sin and fosters the scientific view of the matter. This book demonstrates how the way some schools teach Religious Education (RE) can harm impressionable and imaginative kids. Finally, Joseph Baker links Augustine's teaching with the rise of cCSA. You will definitely have to read this book to find out his opinions on this matter, as I wouldn't want to spill out all the juice.
I have to warn readers about some of the contents of this book. To the best of my knowledge, the original sin for which Christians baptize is the sin of disobedience by Adam and Eve, but the author says that the original sin is Augustine's mark of guilt for concupiscence (sexual lust). This was him analyzing what Augustine of Hippo wrote. Apart from this, the author writes about Christianity, focusing on the Catholic church and the Church of England from an offended point of view. Hence, I think religious people, especially Christians, might find this book unsuitable. However, I will recommend this book to free thinkers and new agers. This book describes sodomy, pederasty, and pedophilia not graphically but informatively. But I had to give a disclaimer for readers sensitive to these topics.
While reading this book, I learned and relearned a lot of things. If I am being truthful, some of the things in this book do not sit well with me and my beliefs, but that is on a personal level. The book in itself is the outpouring of the author's heart based on his past experiences and because he sees how the same things will affect future generations. The author presented his arguments with proof and analyzed them to the best of his knowledge, feelings, and experience. Therefore, I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book was also exceptionally well edited, as I did not encounter any errors.
******
St Augustine's Sin
View: on Bookshelves
Statistics of clerical child sexual abuse (cCSA) have continued to increase over the years. As reported by the UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), "more than 100 allegations of cCSA have been reported each year since 2016." So the big question is: could Augustine's teachings on infantile guilt and culpability be what is influencing how the clergy feels about children?
St. Augustine's Sin: Why Child Abuse Bedevils Christianity by Joseph Baker is a book about how British children are taught religion in schools. It focuses on the teachings of Catholics and the Church of England and how this makes children chastise themselves for being sinful and encourages self-blame. In addition, this book carefully analyzed Augustine of Hippo's fourth-century teaching about infants being born with original sin and how it had fostered a negative mindset in people. The author elucidates how Augustinian indoctrination has impacted his life and the lives of others. He recounts his own childhood experience and tells that of others.
This book has some positive aspects that I noted. First, it is well-researched, and sources were referenced. This is one of the best aspects of this book for me because it gives readers further reading material. This book trashes the religious notion that infants are born with original sin and fosters the scientific view of the matter. This book demonstrates how the way some schools teach Religious Education (RE) can harm impressionable and imaginative kids. Finally, Joseph Baker links Augustine's teaching with the rise of cCSA. You will definitely have to read this book to find out his opinions on this matter, as I wouldn't want to spill out all the juice.
I have to warn readers about some of the contents of this book. To the best of my knowledge, the original sin for which Christians baptize is the sin of disobedience by Adam and Eve, but the author says that the original sin is Augustine's mark of guilt for concupiscence (sexual lust). This was him analyzing what Augustine of Hippo wrote. Apart from this, the author writes about Christianity, focusing on the Catholic church and the Church of England from an offended point of view. Hence, I think religious people, especially Christians, might find this book unsuitable. However, I will recommend this book to free thinkers and new agers. This book describes sodomy, pederasty, and pedophilia not graphically but informatively. But I had to give a disclaimer for readers sensitive to these topics.
While reading this book, I learned and relearned a lot of things. If I am being truthful, some of the things in this book do not sit well with me and my beliefs, but that is on a personal level. The book in itself is the outpouring of the author's heart based on his past experiences and because he sees how the same things will affect future generations. The author presented his arguments with proof and analyzed them to the best of his knowledge, feelings, and experience. Therefore, I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book was also exceptionally well edited, as I did not encounter any errors.
******
St Augustine's Sin
View: on Bookshelves
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