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Beirut (Lebanon), Oran (Algeria), Rabat (Morocco), as well as at the Vatican. The audiences have included government officials, particularly those connected with the ministries of culture, as well as other influential members of society. In countries such as Egypt and Lebanon where there are ancient Christian churches, leaders of those communities have attended alongside Muslims. Everyone involved in viewing the “Augustine” premieres—from North African Muslim culture ministers to Coptic priests in Egypt to the North African actors themselves—has a rightful claim to the story of Augustine as a part of their cultural, regional, or religious heritage. Capturing Augustine’s story on film has proven to be an opportunity to present the gospel in the cultures where it is being shown. North African Muslims have been receptive for at least four reasons.
Intellectual Biography First, secular Muslims connect with Augustine because of his intellectual journey. Reared in a fourth-century African catholic context, Augustine rejected what he perceived was the anti-intellectual posture of the church leadership. Struggling with the crude stories from the Old Testament, he gravitated toward the Manichean sect, an eloquent group that offered him space to think and pose questions. They also had something to say about the problem of evil. Eventually growing tired of eloquence that lacked substance, Augustine’s mind and imagination were captured by Platonic philosophy. During this philosophical journey, and a career path teaching rhetoric that led him to Rome and then Milan, Augustine encountered Bishop Ambrose. In Ambrose, Augustine found a man trained in philosophy who could communicate well. Ambrose’s allegorical approach to Scripture resolved many of the problems Augustine had with Christian ideas. In addition, the Milanese deacon Simplicianus, who spent much more time with Augustine than Ambrose did, answered many of Augustine’s questions. Augustine wrestled with many intellectual questions in his faith journey and this path of reflection connects with thinking North African Muslims today.
A Spiritual Journey Second, though Augustine was a philosopher it did not mean that his journey was not deeply spiritual. From Confessions, we see that his spiritual struggle was probably greater than his intellectual one. Augustine confessed challenges with overeating, overthinking, longing for the praise and acceptance of others, and, of course, with sexual temptation. In fact, he described his