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The Essential City of God: A Reader and Commentary
Augustine is the most influential thinker in Western Christianity, and City of God is arguably his greatest work. However, its length and complexity make its argument difficult to follow, even for specialists.
This one-stop resource offers introductory essays, essential selections from City of God, and critical commentary on the text, enabling readers to study Augustine for themselves. It makes Augustine's thought accessible, explains his ideas clearly, and prompts further reading.
Constructed and composed with the classroom in mind, this volume introduces Augustine's text by abridging and explaining the primary source material. These selections focus on Augustine's social and political thought while indicating the larger contours of his work.
This book retrieves ancient wisdom for the modern world, presenting an enduring vision for faithfulness and hope in times of social instability.
This one-stop resource offers introductory essays, essential selections from City of God, and critical commentary on the text, enabling readers to study Augustine for themselves. It makes Augustine's thought accessible, explains his ideas clearly, and prompts further reading.
Constructed and composed with the classroom in mind, this volume introduces Augustine's text by abridging and explaining the primary source material. These selections focus on Augustine's social and political thought while indicating the larger contours of his work.
This book retrieves ancient wisdom for the modern world, presenting an enduring vision for faithfulness and hope in times of social instability.
- GenresTheologyPhilosophy
464 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 26, 2026
Thoughts on the editing work: Though some sections I have enjoyed from City of God were removed in this version, I thought that Lee did an excellent job of retaining the essential portions of Augustine's arguments. While the added essays at time were a bit too argumentative and less descriptive for my liking, the footnote comments were almost exclusively descriptive and helpful. Commendable work!
Thoughts on COG: Such an excellent and enjoyable work. Some of my favorite expositions: suffering, providence, and discipline; seeing God in the bodies of others for eternity; freedom of the will as freedom from sin; true definitions of love for neighbor; dismantling of secular religion again and again; virtue located in the mind; delight in God).
Some off the wall arguments and thoughts (baptismal regeneration; good politics as rooted in love not justice—I don't think it can be carried to the finish line, while it has some good elements; description of women ontologically).
Take up and read!
Thoughts on COG: Such an excellent and enjoyable work. Some of my favorite expositions: suffering, providence, and discipline; seeing God in the bodies of others for eternity; freedom of the will as freedom from sin; true definitions of love for neighbor; dismantling of secular religion again and again; virtue located in the mind; delight in God).
Some off the wall arguments and thoughts (baptismal regeneration; good politics as rooted in love not justice—I don't think it can be carried to the finish line, while it has some good elements; description of women ontologically).
Take up and read!
Displaying 1 of 1 review