Reading Augustine’s City of God: Hope as the City Falls

Course Description

Writing in response to the sack of Rome in410 CE, Augustine, in the City of God (composed between 413-427 CE), began the process of justifying how the seat of the Roman Empire could be plundered. According to Augustine, this event, which none believed possible, was in fact inevitable since all worldly things decay and fade over time. Humans and things designed by them are always in a state of decline. But where does that leave us? How can humans attempt to prevent or stave off this decay? Can hope exist, when decay is inevitable? 

This course will seek to answer these and other questions, like: What made the Christian understanding of God so distinct from the Roman pantheon? Does religion impose morality or is it something more innately human, ingrained in our minds? What role does the Platonic notion of Supreme Good play in Augustine’s thought? How does he justify the use of Greek philosophy in Christian thinking? How did early Christians reconcile suffering and death in light of a creator God? How does Augustine deal with humanity’s need to dominate socially, economically, politically, and sexually (libido dominandi)? Does government have any role in curbing this, or is it all up to religion?

Finally, does humanity have any hope of happiness and safety in this world? If this world is fading and we should look forward to the “next life,” how does that affect our relationship with those around us here and now (nature, animals, other humans)? In brief, what is the worldview that Augustine is presenting?

Books to purchase:

Augustine, The City of God (Penguin Classics)

Course Details