Augustine and Conversion Conversion can best be defined as surrendering a particular way of life in order to accept another. The very nature of this process indicates the presence of sacrifice. The convert acts almost entirely on faith, giving up the life that seemed right, a life in which they were comfortable, relying only on the assumption that letting Jesus into their hearts will give their life more meaning and direction then what they had known before. Augustine says that conversion requires cooperation of intellect and emotion, which may have a crippling effect of habit on will, and a need for God’s