Pagans and Christians

The situation for the world at the beginning of the biography of Augustine is that forms of paganism, often polytheistic religions are still prevalent throughout the region of the Mediterranean Sea. Christianity has come along as a very altered form of Judaism which, amongst other things offers this one God. During Augustine's life, the dominant political force in the society in which he lived actually changed over from localized types of paganism into Christianity.

The era covered by the book was long before the extensive telecommunications systems available to us today. One natural side effect of this was that local area religions would develop. With the exception of international great thinkers within a nation as well as cross cultural exchange the local people had to face imposing metaphysical questions on their own. The way this was handled was not the same in every location. Just as...