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All diseases of Christians are to be ascribed to demons; chiefly do they torment freshly-baptized Christians, yea, even the guiltless new-born infants.
Saint Augustine
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Saint Augustine suggests that spiritual or demonic influences are responsible for the suffering of Christians, particularly new believers and innocent infants.

In this quote, Saint Augustine highlights the belief that the trials and ailments faced by Christians are not merely physical but have a deeper spiritual cause, often attributed to demonic forces. He emphasizes the vulnerability of freshly-baptized Christians and innocent infants, suggesting that their new faith or purity makes them targets for spiritual torment, thus illustrating the ongoing struggle between good and evil within the realm of faith.

Themes

DiseaseDemonsFaithSpiritualitySufferingInnocence

In practice

Example use cases

During a church sermon discussing the nature of suffering in faith.

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Quote by Saint Augustine | QuoteProject