Would Augustine of Hippo have any problems with attending a Protestant church today?

Answer 1

Augustine would be more aligned with the Catholic Church today than the typical Protestant Church on a number of items:

1)On Church Authority, St. Augustine writes:

"Number the priests even from that seat of Peter. And in that order of fathers see to whom succeeded: that is the rock which the proud gates of hades do not conquer."

“You see, there have already been two councils about this matter, and their decisions sent to the Apostolic [Roman] See; from there rescripts have been sent back here. The case is finished; if only the error were finished too, sometime! So, let us all warn them to take notice of this, teach them to learn the lesson of it, pray for them to change their ideas."

2)On the rule of faith

“For MY PART, I should NOT BELEIVE the gospel except moved by the authority of the Catholic Church. So when those on whose authority I have consented to beleive in the gospel tell me not to beleive in Manicheus, how can I BUT CONSENT?"

“"To be sure, although on this matter, we cannot quote a clear example taken from the canonical Scriptures, at any rate, on this question, we are following the true thought of Scriptures when we observe what has appeared good to the universal Church which the authority of these same Scriptures recommends to you"”

3)On the Real Presence of the Eucharist

" 'And was carried in His Own Hands:' how 'carried in His Own Hands'? Because when He commended His Own Body and Blood, He took into His Hands that which the faithful know; and in a manner carried Himself, when He said, 'This is My Body.' "

4)On infant baptism

"And if any one seek for divine authority in this matter, though what is held by the whole Church, and that not as instituted by Councils, but as a matter of invariable custom, is rightly held to have been handed down by apostolical authority, still we can form a true conjecture of the value of the sacrament of baptism in the case of infants, from the parallel of circumcision, which was received by God's earlier people, and before receiving which Abraham was justified, as Cornelius also was enriched with the gift of the Holy Spirit before he was baptized."

5)On the Virgin Mary

"We must except the holy Virgin Mary, concerning whom I wish to raise no question when it touches the subject of sins, out of honour to the Lord; for from Him we know what abundance of grace for overcoming sin in every particular was conferred upon her who had the merit to conceive and bear Him who undoubtedly had no sin."

So on those particular tenants which Protestants and Catholics disagree, Augustine is squarely on the Catholic side.

To state the obvious difference -- St Augustine was a bishop who had authority over Hippo/Regius in Northern Africa under the See of Rome. Most Protestant Churches today deny the authority of the bishop all together.

Answer 2

Yes
Some would be unliturgical and not sacramental
Some would be Pelagian and others misinterpreting his teachings on grace,predestination and free will in a Calvinist way
Some would be attacking the basic New Testament sexual morality that he took for granted

Aug would be suprised that they are not in communion with the Pope of Rome or the other Patriarchs and divided into tens of thousands of conflicting denominations

Answer 3

Of course he would - they are not under the authority of the Roman Catholic Pope. This alone is heresy in his sight, he was absolutely convinced atht any individual's ideas of theology were inferior to the communal tradition of leaving theology to the theologians.

Answer 4

He would have a problem getting out of the grave and finding transportation.

Answer 5

he might have trouble fitting through the doors (being a hippo and all).

Answer 6

No, if you've read his "Confessions" you know he had problems with the "religion" he was caught up in then.