Question

How was Augustine influenced by Neoplatonism? Consider: Which Neoplatonic ideas did Augustine borrow and express in Book XI of Confessions? Your answer should be at least 150 words.

Answer 1

Neoplatonic philosophy exerted a great influence on the intellectual formation of Augustine, consolidating his conversion to Christianity. Augustine as a thinker seized as much of the concepts of this movement as possible to create a "Christian philosophy" of his own and to explain it

Augustine was influenced by Neoplatonism because he saw this philosophy as a doctrine capable of helping the Christian faith to become aware of its own internal structure and to defend itself with rational arguments, elaborating itself as theology.

Answer 2

As he converted into Christian beliefs, Augustine was heavily influenced by this philosophy of Plato. Augustine believed that evil was "a privation of good" and that God was not material. The philosophy emphasized on the supernatural entity of The One, or God.