Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher Research Paper

Saint Augustine and Friedrich Schleiermacher - Research Paper Example This paper will provide biographical examination of Saint Augustine as well as Friedrich Schleiermacher, comparing and contrasting their legacy, analyzing their significance in general and to Christianity in particular. The first prominent figure that will be discussed in this paper is Saint Augustine. This Christian saint was born in the middle of fourth century in the territory of the modern Algeria1. It must be noted that his mother is recognized as a saint, namely Saint Monica, but his father remained to be a pagan until his death, when he finally decided to be baptized. Augustine had a wonderful education, especially in rhetoric which is considered to be the strong part of his individuality; despite this, he was never fluent in Greek, one of the major languages of the time. During his youth, he experienced all the pleasures of life, not being very pious. He also adopted various worldviews, which he later claimed to be false. At the age of thirty he was baptized by his close frie nd Ambrose of Milan and since they became a significant figure in the Christian world. The next individual whose legacy will be examined is Friedrich Schleiermacher. He was born many centuries after Saint Augustine and in a completely different cultural background. He was born in the middle of eighteenth century in Prussia into a family of a Christian pastor2. Quite early Schleiermacher adopted love for religion and was genuinely interested in pursuing this path. However, he always rejected blind faith into dogmas and rebelled against orthodoxy.