Selling Ourselves Short

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On a homeschool forum I occasionally visit there are sometimes deep discussions on points of church doctrine. A mom posted the following in a discussion of Augustine, Calvin and predestination:

Have you actually read Augustine's work? I haven't. Would love to but am in a season of my life where I cannot. And do you believe all of Augustine's work? I think not. Augustine believed that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Augustine is a Rock Star! Which is why it's rather curious that Calvinists and Reformed depend on his writings to support their doctrines that in no way resemble the doctrines the Catholic Church has developed from the very same writings. You see the conflict?

My point here is not to assess the overall question of this discussion, but to instead question her attitude here. She seems to hold Augustine in a very high status, and claim that he believed certain things while at the same time dismissing those who claim he believed other points as well.

That would be fine except for the sentences I've put in bold. It just makes my head spin. I understand being a busy homeschool mom but I would certainly spend a little time checking on this if I was willing to imply others didn't know material that I knew.

I spent a few moments doing some searches on Google to see what the term "Augustine predestination" turned up. The very first link for this search was this one: http://www.lightshinesindarkness.com/augustine_predestination.htm which includes a direct link to Augustine's Anti-Pelagian writings. A few moments spent on the page would allow a careful reader (or someone using the find function) to turn up Augustine's A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints which proves to be fairly short document that could be read in an hour or two.

While this might not have sufficed, it certainly would have been a better beginning than dismissing others' arguments while saying you didn't have time to investigate their merit.

I think the saddest part is that she is selling herself short. Yes, reading early Christian writers is a big, time consuming task, but like other big, time consuming tasks it can be conquered one bite at a time. Besides the knowledged learned you also set a wonderful example for your children.