Abstract

The article explores the idea that Augustine’s understanding of Christendom is compatible with the practice of the art of medicine, and that bodily health plays a more prominent role in his understanding of salvation than previously thought. The article addresses these concerns with reference to the different perspectives from which Augustine views the body from 386-395: metaphysical, biblical, and empirical. It examines three aspects of Augustine’s early works that pertain to the care of the body: his own experience of illness and his acquaintance with doctors, his conception of the natural order and the art of medicine, and the extent of his knowledge of medicine.