Buy new:
-40% $26.79
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$26.79 with 40 percent savings
List Price: $44.95

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Wednesday, May 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 5 hrs 30 mins
In Stock
$$26.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$26.79
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$20.69
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Ships directly from Amazon! PRIME eligible. Hassle free returns and customer service through Amazon. May contain some highlighting. Supplements such as access codes, CD’s etc not guaranteed. Ships directly from Amazon! PRIME eligible. Hassle free returns and customer service through Amazon. May contain some highlighting. Supplements such as access codes, CD’s etc not guaranteed. See less
FREE delivery Friday, May 24 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$26.79 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$26.79
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Saint Augustine
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Trinity (Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century) (Works of Saint Augustine, 5) Paperback – February 29, 2012

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 143 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$26.79","priceAmount":26.79,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"26","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"79","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"H2F5Bf7mT%2F2y%2BVeiXplyllqyM8HNIqGC5OayaLZnY%2FKD2BIXP40QZ52iIC3Z93es9kAj7BzKzhn%2B9cGKYwtzejfMv%2BOQyOv3PGA1wJr5RCX0ZGMXKl0of1NngIR%2F9Mr4GjoxDlYrmNAouv4qdgTaCA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$20.69","priceAmount":20.69,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"20","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"69","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"H2F5Bf7mT%2F2y%2BVeiXplyllqyM8HNIqGCJkydspLVPNkQNnFstsMDdLnCmy9HfsHtN5I0JG6dmSWsVHebnGyNa8bWQYvJtHnG76CpzAsqlAMb0c8MRHKk7ZAt976W0ZATmA59VgCPb%2FGv7QUbYQPiOpGkp66WJLqCPIX4GhhNJ5b1yKjNb6PaO8FCeKVLYTVY","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

This 2nd Edition is newly produced, now featuring convenient footnotes rather than the previously used endnotes.

Augustine knows by faith that God is a trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he is seeking as far as possible to understand what he believes. In the first seven books Augustine begins by searching the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments for clues to understanding and then argues in the language of philosophy and logic to defend the orthodox statement of the doctrine against the Arians.

In the last eight books Augustine seeks to understand the mystery of the divine Trinity by observing an analogous trinity in the image of God, which is the human mind; and in so doing, he also suggests a program for the serious Christian of spiritual self-discovery and renewal.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    470 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    New City Press
  4. Publication date
    February 29, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    5.9 x 1.3 x 8.7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781565484467
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1565484467
  8. See all details
Next page
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Frequently bought together

The Trinity (Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century) (Works of Saint Augustine, 5)
$26.79
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 22
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Teaching Christianity (Vol. I/11) (The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century)
$25.86
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 22
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Augustine: A Very Short Introduction
$11.35
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 22
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

From the Publisher

The Works of Saint Augustine

Editorial Reviews

Review

What Father Hill has provided is a splendid translation, made from a trustworthy Latin text, of what is for some of us the foundation work of Christian theology. He has fitted out his translation, clearly the best of the four that have been made into English, with notes that go well beyond the perfunctory and a 38-page introduction that is a delight to read. --Barry Ulanov, Journal of Religion and Health

Hill has recovered the De trinitate for Augustine: its dynamism, its intimacy are back; the voice, that of the author of The Confessions and The Sermons, is once again recognizable to English readers. --John C. Cavadini, Notre Dame in the Journal of Early Christian Studies.

These translations make Augustine's thought accessible to non-specialists, they are an inspirational resource. --Margaret R. Miles, Harvard University

About the Author

Augustine of Hippo is one of the greatest thinkers and writers in the Western world. After becoming a Christian he was made bishop of Hippo in Africa, where he was influential in civil and church affairs. His more than 100 books, 200 letters and 500 sermons have left a lasting impact on Western philosophy and culture. His classic and best-selling works include The Confessions, The Trinity, The City of God, and Teaching Christianity.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1565484460
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ New City Press; Second edition (February 29, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 470 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781565484467
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1565484467
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 1.3 x 8.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 143 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
143 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

daniel j callahan
5.0 out of 5 stars the trinity
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
this is a must read for all Christians by one of the greatest theologians of all time. the translator,edmund hill, includes footnotes with his interpretations of some of the more complex ideas. the only problem with these early Christian writers is they make you think about why being Christian makes sense so the book is not meant for lazy readers. st.augustine spent 44 years of his adult life giving logical explanations for Christine doctrine based on Christian scripture so I thought it would be worth a few weeks hearing what he had to say about the core belief of Christianity. this is not as easy to grasp as some of his other writing but well worth the effort.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
BB
5.0 out of 5 stars An academic presentation
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is definitely not for a light reader. That’s fine with me. The deep insights are especially meaningful for me. This is definitely a keeper.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars There's no other work that really compares with regard to the subject matter
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
No words suffice. Prepare to have to set the book down numerous times while you stare off into space and contemplate the Trinity and the nature of reality. People might be intimidated by Augustine, but don't be. This work is approachable and any serious reading will produce an abundance of fruit as you come to contemplate the unfathomable depths of the Trinity. Everyone is made for life in the Trinity, and Augustine's epic work stokes the fire of desire in ones heart to attain to the love that lasts in the Trinity.
23 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
S. Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars A rite of passage for Trinitarian thought
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
One of the most brilliant minds of the Christian tradition (and beyond!), St. Augustine plunges into the most captivating, yet also the most incomprehensible pillar of the Christian faith–the Triunity of God. Arguably Augustine’s most taxing and enigmatical work, The Trinity is a rite of passage for all students and learners of Trinitarian theology (and beyond!). Inflexible in his meticulous bend, Augustine exacts demanding intellectual and spiritual prowess to delve deep into the most wondrous mystery: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. How can this be? Why is this be? Searching for an appropriate explanation of the Trinity, Augustine, in the end, falls into humble surrender: “What is the reason then that you cannot fix your gaze on it to see it, but weakness obviously; and what brought this weakness on you but wickedness obviously? Who then is to heal all your infirmities but he who is gracious to all your iniquities?” (15.27.50). In daring hope, we will see God face to face (1 Cor 13:12), but until then we wait in faith in the Triune God to purify us in grace and love. Amen.

[...]
22 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Laura
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a challenging read! I'm not even going ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a challenging read! I'm not even going to pretend to understand it but Augustine offers us some really helpful reflections on the Trinity in this work and for that, I am thankful.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Fr Mark M OSA
5.0 out of 5 stars Great english translation
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
It may be that had I waited to complete this book before reviewing it, I would never get around to it. It is a rich theological work, with some profound insights that have shaped all of Western Christianity.
The introductory commentary is incredibly helpful. I find that certain sections of the book shine above others, and I probably cannot read it from front to back. It does have a lot of gems, and it is easy to find them.
For fans of Augustine, for students of theology, and any other serious thinker interested in the Christian tradition, I highly recommend.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
ZF
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read on the Trinity
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2013
Verified Purchase
I wasn't aware, though I have often heard, of the impact of this Trinitarian work to this day. There were so many ideas and concepts that were not new because so many theologians and churchmen throughout the ages have propogated Augustine's teachings found in this book. Through that I realized how fundamental this book is for those looking to deepen their understanding of this incomprehensible mystery of our Triune God.
Augustine often receives negative press for his "insistence" on the oneness of God as to lessen the focus on the Three Divine Persons. I never picked up on that. It was actually after I finished reading that I thought to myself "I didnt notice any over emphasis on the oneness."
Take time enjoying the thoughts of a theological and philosophical genius.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Todd Unctuous
4.0 out of 5 stars A challenging but rewarding work
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is about much more than the Trinity. Augustine also discusses at great length:

- The nature of the mind and how our different faculties interact amongst themselves, with the world of the senses, and with the eternal ideas that inform our sensible reality
- The fall of man, sin as attachment to the world of creatures and abuse of reason by which our minds become inverted, resting on the things outside of ourselves rather than the immutable Truth that we can approach within
- The relation between moral virtue and philosophical insight, how our love of creatures prevents us from easily understanding the immateriality of the intellect and the nature of God
- Why faith would be necessary and what role it plays, the differences between Christian contemplation grounded in faith and the theurgy of pagans
- How the man Jesus Christ could serve as a unique mediator between God and humanity, what it means to say we are "justified by his blood"

It is a difficult work with all of Augustine's excesses on full display - long digressions, tedious repetition of points from many different angles. But if you can stomach this you will find it worth the effort. Augustine makes the Trinity more than a mysterious formula because his quest to understand it in the image of man leads him to examine our whole psychology, how it has been vitiated by sin, and how the more we advance in virtue and "faith working through love" the more we become conformed to the image the Triune God.

In his passages about how our ability to understand reality are substantially impaired by the images of the created things we love, and how we must free our mind of these images to gain spiritual insight, he almost sounds like a Buddhist. This theme, and others, are present from his earliest works and reflect the influence of Platonist philosophers as well as Christian mysticism. But here he has been fully Christianized. For example, in De Vera Religione Christ's role as mediator and savior seems secondary in Augustine's consciousness to his being a great teacher, like Socrates but successful. Here we have a robust and fully developed Christology and soteriology. In his earliest works he clearly sees the Trinity as something analogous to the trinity of the philosophers, "to hen, nous, psyche". Here his Trinitarianism is firmly grounded in the Bible and he rejects some of the rationalizations that he himself had proposed in the past.

One could be mislead by his intense introspection to accuse him of a sort of navel gazing. But his point, as he makes clear in book viii and elsewhere, is that the more we come to know God the more we go out of ourselves and seek the good of others rather than our own. Augustine finds the closest likeness to the Trinity in a human mind loving itself but this is only the beginning of his analysis: he looks at how Trinitarian processes are at work in every element of perception and consciousness, and in particular in faith and contemplation, and also shows how even this image of the mind loving itself is only a shadow of the Trinitarian dogma.

Perhaps the most exciting parts for me were books 4 and 13 where he looks at the nature of Christ's mediation and how it could make sense to think of our being saved by "faith" or justified by the death of God incarnate. Augustine's "mousetrap" theory of justification, which is easily caricatured, is here put into its proper context. Christ's dying "for us", conquering the devil through justice in powerlessness, is only one part of a broader understanding of the Incarnation as an ontological harmonization between the One and the many. He compares this to a musical octave and indulges in some wild numerology in the process.

But there's a lot to unpack here and it is not something you can read only once or twice.

A great passage from the translation on New Advent (VIII.2): "Ask not what is truth for immediately the darkness of corporeal images and the clouds of phantasms will put themselves in the way, and will disturb that calm which at the first twinkling shone forth to you, when I said truth. See that you remain, if you can, in that first twinkling with which you are dazzled, as it were, by a flash, when it is said to you, Truth. But you can not; you will glide back into those usual and earthly things. And what weight, pray, is it that will cause you so to glide back, unless it be the bird-lime of the stains of appetite you have contracted, and the errors of your wandering from the right path?"

If that doesn't make you want to work through the whole book I don't know what will!
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Vincrid
5.0 out of 5 stars A great translation
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2013
Verified Purchase
Apart from the first class readability of the translation, this book is worth its modest price alone for the excellent introduction and notes by Edmund Hill. Augustine's Trinity was never an easy read, and Edmund Hill has made me realise that I had not really read it carefully enough. This must rate as one of the foundational texts for Christianity and has often shouldered the blame for promoting a somewhat intellectual view of the Trinity in the Christian West. Edmund Hill's analysis makes a convincing case for reading this as a text for spiritual transformation, which has made me question a lot of my own prejudices. Not Augustine's easiest text but probably one of his most important for the effect it has had on our history. For any student grappling with Augustine I cannot recommend this enough.
5 people found this helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic expostion od St Augustine's doctrine of the Trinity
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
Fantastic expostion od St Augustine's doctrine of the Trinity, with copious notes, a splendid intorductin, and a good index. The translation makes it seem as if Augustine is writing verymuch for today - it is not at all stuffy.
3 people found this helpful
 Report
N. Postlethwaite
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very readable translation and excellent helpful introductory notes.
2 people found this helpful
 Report