In sum, it seems to me that many Modern Commentators interpret Augustine from their Modern point of view, not from the point of view of Augustine’s audience.  The people that Augustine called to Christ were steeped in Traditional, Magical, Stoic, Platonic, and Aristotelian thought.  Augustine should be seen as taking “what was familiar” and giving it a new twist.  It must have been exciting to hear him preach.

Ironically, the attitudes and ideas of Augustine’s audience have been lost over time, leaving no counterpoint to Augustine’s texts.  Still we can imagine.