Conversion: Stories of Grace
Augustine on restlessness, confession, and the moment of “take and read” — one of the great live conversion passages in Christian literature.
Synopsis
The conversion movement of the Confessions, performed in sequence: the divided will, the struggle in the garden, the voice calling tolle, lege, and the resolution that follows. The text’s boundaries are famous and exact, which makes it one of the most reliable retreat-night selections in the repertoire.
Why it works live
It is introspective, but not static. The emotional movement is clear; the language carries spiritual urgency even for listeners who do not know Augustine well. Conversion here is shown as a process — not a single emotional flash — and audiences recognize their own restlessness in it.
Format
- One performer, the canonical conversion sequence.
- Pairs naturally with a brief opening prayer or introduction.
- Followed by an extended Q&A; especially strong in retreat settings.
Conversion as a process rather than a single emotional flash, and why Augustine remains psychologically modern after sixteen centuries.
Host an Augustine retreat evening
The most reliable conversion-night program in the repertoire — with deep, substantive Q&A built in.