After his conversion to Christianity, Augustine's position on sexuality and women turned extreme. "Since it was not until two years' time I was to obtain her I sought, -- being not so much a lover of marriage as a slave to lust, -- procured another women" (Confessions Book VI). Before being converted, Augustine would engage in sinful act

As is quite obvious in the sermon itself, Augustine explains the necessity of the male's role as the leader of the house. A man must respect and treat his wife well, and must never commit adultery, for if they do they "demand this duty, while declining to pay this duty...". Men must learn to lead their wife in virtue and must never fall to sin and lust, for if this happens, you can not expect your wife, or women to follow when "you yourself lie there, conquered". The most important thing though is the man must lead by example; everything they do must reaffirm their authoritative role in society and in life for "the husband is the head of the wife". From this paragraph, and the previous one, it is possible to conclude that Saint Augustine believes that women are subordinate and inferior to males, but at the same time they should be protected, cared for and treated with respect.

s such as sex with other women when he was married and joining different religious cults. Augustine's image of women is one that is very male-orientated. Augustine believes completely in the ideas of male domination and superiority. "Thou hast granted to man that from others he should come to conclusions as to himself, and that he should believe many things concerning himself on the authority of feeble women" (Confessions Book I). Feeble women... this is Augustine's image of women, that they are weak and frail and incapable of anything. Augustine believes that men have absolute authority over everyone and that they are naturally given authority over women from God. "Woman, who is simple and knoweth nothing" (Confessions Book III). Women know nothing, and are simple minded to Augustine. A woman's role should be one that is secondary to the man, and they should be submissive and obey all that a man commands. The entire concept of sin and original sin is important to Augustine and this is another reason why his view of women is so low; that although man could be forgiven for original sin, he could never escape it's consequences. For Augustine, sin is something that is impossible to escape, and that ever since Eve ate the apple in the Garden of Eden, mankind will forever continue to sin, unable to escape from this deadly circle. Because Eve ate the apple of knowledge, she inherently received the curse of sin, this is why women must forever listen to the will of man, for if not, this sort of disaster may happen again. "Woman, naturally of the weaker sex; I (Augustine) cannot think of any reason for a woman's being made as the man's helper, if we dismiss this reason of procreation" (City Of God Book VI). Women to Augustine are the weaker sex, they know nothing, they're feeble and he believes women are simply made for the reason of procreation. Augustine's image of women are so useless that he believes that if it weren't for reproduction, there simply would be no need for women. "Never commit fornication; but above all things never to defile another man's wife. These appeared to me but womanish counsels" (Confessions Book II). This advice from The Confessions is from his mother, to never commit fornication, but once again this shows his opinion towards women as inferior once again come through as he dismissed his mothers advice as "womanish counsels". For Augustine, women are to be naturally submissive and obedient to men, and much like the other people of his time, his views of women are conservative (for our time). Despite Saint Augustine's belief that women are weak and should not have a central role in society, he stresses the importance of a man's duty to protect and take care of a woman (that is why women are to be obedient to men).

In my opinion, I find that Augustine is a bit of a male chauvinist. I readily accept the fact that during the time period with which Augustine resided in was a male dominated period, I still find much of his writings rather appalling and sexist. Firstly, his entire concept that women are inferior to men strikes me as rat

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