CS Lewis once wrote: “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that gives value to survival” (brainyquote.com). While philosophy and friendship may not be necessary, they are both valuable to the human experience. In the course of philosophical thought, many philosophers, including Augustine, grapple with the concept and realization of true friendship. Augustine writes about the meaning of true friendship in the Confessions, while also writing about his friendships throughout his life, using his guidelines for what true friendship entails. A revolution in his friendships can be seen along with his transformation towards God which The Confessions is well known for. to put on display. In the Confessions, Augustine defines what true friendship is with the help of friendships from his past, good or bad, to show what friendship is and is not. In Book IV, Augustine writes: “Friendship is authentic only when you bring together people who unite with you through the charity poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (The Confessions, Book IV, paragraph 7). For Augustine, true friendships are those brought together and held together by God. Without God there can be no true friendship, and this is evident from the comparison of two of Augustine's friendships in his life. Through the friendships of an unnamed childhood friend and Nebridius, the reader sees a complete transformation of Augustine's friendships. The unnamed childhood friend comes to the reader in Book IV of the Confessions while Augustine is in his hometown, teaching rhetoric. As Edward C. Sellner, associate professor of Pastoral Theology and Spirituality at the College of St. Catherine in Minnesota, wrote,...... halfway through the document... and the affection for this friend is clear, as it is his belief that friendship over Christ survives even the yawning abyss of separation that death brings” (Theology Today). Works Cited Augustine (2008). The Confessions (M. Boulding, trans.). JE Rotelle (ed.). Hyde Park, New York: New City Press. (Original work published in 1997).David McFadden (d_mac18) on Twitter. (2012, December 19). Retrieved April 27, 2014, from https://twitter.com/d_mac18Friendship is not necessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather... - CS Lewis on BrainyQuote. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/c/cslewis105239.htmlSellner, E.C. (1991). Like a fire that kindles: meanings of friendship in the life and writings of Augustine. Spirituality Today, 43(3), 240-257. Retrieved from http://www.spiritualitytoday.org/spir2day/91433sellner.html