This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.com

Catherine is a philologist with a particular focus on Augustine of Hippo. She’s both the Leslie Clark Professor in the Humanities and a Professor of Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies at Bryn Mawr College. The author of many books, her most recent is Augustine the African. We had an exhilarating afternoon talking about this African who helped frame the West.

The episode was recorded on October 27, 2026, and aired on October 30. Timestamps for the main sections:

* 07:43: How Catherine came to specialize in Augustine

* 24:19: The profound influence of his mother

* 42:56: His conversion to Christianity

* 52:42: The deaths of his mom, son, and best friend in quick succession

* 101:23: His decades preaching and writing in Hippo

For two audio clips — on Augustine’s struggles with sex, and the moment he converted to Christianity — head to our YouTube page.

More topics covered: Catherine growing up mostly in Oxford; her family’s dedication to the classics; the Romans’ Gaza-like destruction of Carthage; the ferocious debating style of Augustine; his struggle to be humble; his emotional openness; his disgust over Roman games and executions; his early interest in Manichaeism; the problem of evil; sex in the Garden of Eden; Augustine’s persistent horniness; his 14-year relationship with a woman he ditched for an arranged marriage; his close bond with his Christian mother who long tried to convert him; the unprecedented nature of his Confessions; Oakeshott’s awe; Augustine on friendship; memory and time; The City of God filled with relentless counter arguments; Wittgenstein and the limits of language; the miracles of everyday life; the homelessness of Jesus and St Francis; and how Rome was falling at the end of Augustine’s life.

Browse the Dishcast archive for episodes you might enjoy.

Catherine Conybeare On Augustine’s Life And Faith

The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan

Catherine Conybeare On Augustine’s Life And Faith