Augustine’s Rhetoric

Julian Young distinguishes between what he calls “true world philosophies” and those
philosophies who don’t believe in a true world. A true world is a destination to which we
all return, a universal anchor for meaning, an explanation of the ultimate reality
underneath the appearances, a grand narrative that anchors “good” to something above
and beyond the individual. Plato can certainly be counted as a true world philosopher.
Christianity (as well as more or less all other religions) is a true world philosophy. But the
sophists belong to the other side. I would also count most postmodern philosophers as
non-true world philosophers.
I think the most salient feature of Augustine’s work is that he is a true world philosopher,
and this is clearly reflected both in his rhetoric and his discussion of rhetoric. He believes
in “Truth”, and he believes that rhetoric must be in service of this truth. When he is
talking about rhetoric what he has in mind is a speaker (preacher) who is giving a
sermon, in which he is trying to convey the truth that he has found in the scripture to his
audience. If the audience does not know the truth, then they must be informed. If they
know the truth but they have doubt about it, then they must be given arguments. And
finally, if they know the truth and do not have doubt about it, but yet have reluctance
towards it or they don’t act upon it, they need to be persuaded.
Moreover, it is more important for the speaker to have wisdom, for wisdom brings with it
its own proper eloquence. On the other hand, empty eloquence without wisdom is a
dangerous thing. And what is wisdom? Wisdom comes from the heart of a wise man, and
is a result of reflection and understanding of the scripture. And it is also important for the
speaker to preach what he has realized in himself first, otherwise even the finest
examples of rhetoric coming from someone who is not following what he himself is saying
is empty and ineffective.
In short, Augustine seems to clearly distinguish himself and his rhetoric from the
sophists’, and even from such “pagans” as Plato and Cicero. For him, rhetoric’s main
function is conveying and defending the truth: “For since through the art of rhetoric both
truth and falsehood are pleaded, who would be so bold as to say that against falsehood,
truth as regards to its own defenders ought to stand unarmed?”