St. Augustine of Hippo was the first philosopher and theologian to have introduced the hermeneutic cycle of faith and reason (in Latin: "credo ut intellegam" and "intellego ut credam"). The circle was conceived to improve the Biblical exegesis and it was activated by the personal belief in the truthfulness of God. According to the "Confessions", misleading verses of the Bible shall be read at the light of the Holy Spirit God and in the context of "the spirit of the Bible as a whole", intended as a unique and non-contradictory text divinely inspired.