Catholic News: What St. Augustine's Lost Writings Reveal About Spiritual Encounters

Two previously unknown sermons by St. Augustine have been identified in a medieval manuscript — and the subject Augustine was preaching about is one of the strangest stories in the Bible.In 1 Samuel 28, King Saul secretly visits the medium of Endor and asks her to summon the dead prophet Samuel. Samuel appears, foretells Saul’s death, and leaves Christians with a theological puzzle that has been debated for centuries. Did the medium actually summon Samuel?Was the apparition demonic?Or did God permit Samuel to appear despite Saul’s sinful attempt to consult the dead?In this bonus Catholic News episode of Rebel Saints, Nicole breaks down the newly identified Augustine sermons, the biblical story of Saul and the Witch of Endor, and why Augustine appears less interested in the mechanics of the supernatural encounter than in a deeper question: What was God doing in the middle of Saul’s failure?The newly discovered sermons even leave open the possibility that Saul’s final encounter with Samuel may have moved him toward repentance before his death.We also look at:• The discovery of two previously unknown St. Augustine sermons• The strange story of the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28• Why Saul sought out a medium• Whether Samuel was really summoned from the dead• St. Augustine’s interpretation of the passage• Whether Saul may have repented before his death• Catholic teaching on mediums, necromancy and divination• Why the discovery does not change Catholic doctrine• What Augustine’s interpretation reveals about God’s mercy• Why God can still act even in the middle of human sinThe Catechism of the Catholic Church rejects attempts to summon the dead, consult mediums or practice divination. Augustine’s sermons do not endorse those practices. Instead, they offer a fascinating glimpse into how one of Christianity’s greatest theologians wrestled with a difficult biblical passage and the possibility that God’s mercy can reach a sinner even at the very end.Rebel Saints is a Catholic podcast for restless hearts exploring Catholicism, Scripture, saints, theology, Church history and the strange, beautiful stories that make Christian faith worth digging into.Restless heart, you are welcome here.SourcesEWTN News: Two Previously Unknown Sermons by St. Augustine on the Witch of Endor DiscoveredSacred Scripture: 1 Samuel 28Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§2116–2117MusicMusic used under license from Upbeat.io.