Review of St Augustine's Sin
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Shem Murundu
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Review of St Augustine's Sin
[Following is a volunteer review of "St Augustine's Sin" by Joe Baker.]
St Augustine's Sin is a non-fiction book written by Joseph Baker. Saint Augustine is highly regarded as a role model by the Christian community, especially the Catholic Church. However, Baker strongly disagrees with this common public impression of Augustine. He believes that Augustine was a tormented, mentally disturbed man with a sick perception of infant sexuality. Augustine believed that children, even day-old infants, are stained with guilt from 'the original sin,’ contaminated by their parents’ lust in conceiving them. Baker believes this is an outrageous and dangerous belief, and he links this belief, which is one of the Catholic doctrines taught to aspiring priests, to the numerous cases of child sexual abuse reported among clergymen.
This book presents an in-depth examination and review of Augustine's life, publications, and historical background, evaluating the soundness of his philosophies. Baker, who was raised by a devout Catholic mother, attended Catholic boarding schools and had encounters with Catholic priests, argues why these Augustinian doctrines are toxic and should not be mandatorily passed down to infants against their will, as they negatively affect them mentally and psychologically. He also opines that the state should be separated from religion because the state's funding of faith schools creates a bias in the process of school selection among the children and prejudice against non-believing teachers looking for employment in faith schools in Britain.
Although I disagree with some of the author's opinions, I was deeply impressed by the amount of research that was put into the creation of this book. The majority of Baker's points are backed by facts from well-conducted research and surveys, which can be easily accessed and verified through the countless links provided. This was my favorite part of the book. I also loved the author's meticulous explanations and storytelling, especially when narrating his life with his parents and his experience with the clergymen at school.
I liked the author's objectivity. I must also appreciate Baker for being bold enough to share his personal experience of life encounters with the clerics. I believe that this, coupled with the shared experiences of other people mentioned in the book, will (in one way or another) benefit others who underwent or are undergoing similar struggles.
There was nothing I disliked about the book. I did not agree with some of the author's perspectives, but that does not mean I dislike the book. However, I noticed several typographical errors. I believe the editing of the book was professional because of the few minor typographical errors. Because of the commendable editing and the author's excellent articulation of his points, I rate this book five out of five stars. I recommend this book to all Christians, especially Catholics. Any open-minded non-Christian will also enjoy reading this book.
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St Augustine's Sin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
St Augustine's Sin is a non-fiction book written by Joseph Baker. Saint Augustine is highly regarded as a role model by the Christian community, especially the Catholic Church. However, Baker strongly disagrees with this common public impression of Augustine. He believes that Augustine was a tormented, mentally disturbed man with a sick perception of infant sexuality. Augustine believed that children, even day-old infants, are stained with guilt from 'the original sin,’ contaminated by their parents’ lust in conceiving them. Baker believes this is an outrageous and dangerous belief, and he links this belief, which is one of the Catholic doctrines taught to aspiring priests, to the numerous cases of child sexual abuse reported among clergymen.
This book presents an in-depth examination and review of Augustine's life, publications, and historical background, evaluating the soundness of his philosophies. Baker, who was raised by a devout Catholic mother, attended Catholic boarding schools and had encounters with Catholic priests, argues why these Augustinian doctrines are toxic and should not be mandatorily passed down to infants against their will, as they negatively affect them mentally and psychologically. He also opines that the state should be separated from religion because the state's funding of faith schools creates a bias in the process of school selection among the children and prejudice against non-believing teachers looking for employment in faith schools in Britain.
Although I disagree with some of the author's opinions, I was deeply impressed by the amount of research that was put into the creation of this book. The majority of Baker's points are backed by facts from well-conducted research and surveys, which can be easily accessed and verified through the countless links provided. This was my favorite part of the book. I also loved the author's meticulous explanations and storytelling, especially when narrating his life with his parents and his experience with the clergymen at school.
I liked the author's objectivity. I must also appreciate Baker for being bold enough to share his personal experience of life encounters with the clerics. I believe that this, coupled with the shared experiences of other people mentioned in the book, will (in one way or another) benefit others who underwent or are undergoing similar struggles.
There was nothing I disliked about the book. I did not agree with some of the author's perspectives, but that does not mean I dislike the book. However, I noticed several typographical errors. I believe the editing of the book was professional because of the few minor typographical errors. Because of the commendable editing and the author's excellent articulation of his points, I rate this book five out of five stars. I recommend this book to all Christians, especially Catholics. Any open-minded non-Christian will also enjoy reading this book.
******
St Augustine's Sin
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Last bumped by Shem Murundu on 09 Feb 2023, 07:29.
The gift turned out to be a curse. They killed him with kindness.
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