The letters of Augustine offer a window into his life. They showcase a theologian on the run, working through difficult pastoral issues. They also show another side of Augustine: the theologian as friend.

In A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine, Coleman M. Ford examines Augustine’s understanding of friendship. For Augustine, friendship is the overflow of love and is essential for building Christlike virtue. Friendship differs by context and relationship but is fundamentally rooted in the reality that, in Christ, friendship with God has been restored. In this sense, friendship is fundamentally a spiritual exercise.

With original research rooting Augustine’s letter-writing, theology, and understanding of friendship in antiquity, A Bond between Souls helps readers to understand this doctor of the church in a deeper way.

Product Information

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Title: A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine
By: Coleman M. Ford
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 216
Vendor: Lexham Academic
Publication Date: 2022

Dimensions: 9.0 X 6.0 (inches)
Weight: 11 ounces
ISBN: 1683596501
ISBN-13: 9781683596509
Series: Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology
Stock No: WW596509

Publisher's Description

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2022 Southwestern Journal of Theology (SWJT) winner for Discipleship / Spiritual Formation

Augustine’s theology of friendship

The letters of Augustine offer a rare window into his life. They showcase a theologian on the run, working through difficult pastoral issues. They also show another side of Augustine: the theologian as friend.

Author Bio

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Coleman M. Ford serves as assistant professor of humanities at Texas Baptist College in Fort Worth, Texas

Editorial Reviews

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This book opens up the private world of a very public man and deepens our understanding of one of the greatest theologians of all time.

—Gerald Bray, research professor, Beeson Divinity School

This is a retrieval project for the sake of the spiritual renewal of the church.

—Matthew Y. Emerson, professor of religion and dean of theology, arts, and humanities, Oklahoma Baptist University

In this study, Ford recovers friendship, this overlooked aspect of this momentous figure. He does a fine job of laying out Augustine’s theology of friendship, but far importantly, he stirs up a deep desire for godly friendship in the reader. Augustine would be proud of his disciple.

—Brian Arnold, president, Phoenix Seminary