The City of God, Books I-VII

The Fathers of the Church #8

by Augustine of Hippo, Demetrius B. Zema (Translator), Gerald G. Walsh (Translator)

Written during the time when the Roman Empire was crumbling, Augustine's De civitate Dei tackles the questions raised by the decline of the political and social order. Here, in Books One through Seven (of the total of twenty-two books in this monumental work), Augustine examines the history of the Roman Republic and Empire. Though based on a false religion and a lust for domination, the rise of Rome was nevertheless ordained by God's providence.

Genres: Religion, Christianity

401 pages, Paperback

Published August 26, 2008

About the author

Early church father and philosopher Saint Augustine served from 396 as the bishop of Hippo in present-day Algeria and through such writings as the autobiographical Confessions in 397 and the voluminous City of God from 413 to 426 profoundly influenced Christianity, argued against Manichaeism and Donatism, and helped to establish the doctrine of original sin.

An Augustinian follows the principles and doctrines of Saint Augustine.

People also know Aurelius Augustinus in English of Regius (Annaba). From the Africa province of the Roman Empire, people generally consider this Latin theologian of the greatest thinkers of all times. He very developed the west. According to Jerome, a contemporary, Augustine renewed "the ancient Faith."

The Neo-Platonism of Plotinus afterward heavily weighed his years. After conversion and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to theology and accommodated a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed in the indispensable grace to human freedom and framed the concept of just war. When the Western Roman Empire started to disintegrate from the material earth, Augustine developed the concept of the distinct Catholic spirituality in a book of the same name. He thought the medieval worldview. Augustine closely identified with the community that worshiped the Trinity. The Catholics and the Anglican communion revere this preeminent doctor. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider his due teaching on salvation and divine grace of the theology of the Reformation. The Eastern Orthodox also consider him. He carries the additional title of blessed. The Orthodox call him "Blessed Augustine" or "Saint Augustine the Blessed."

Santo Agostinho

Reviews

[William Conboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great historical, philosophical, theological classic. Very foundational to Christian philosophy especially in the Western Church. St. Augustine in this work addresses the problem of evil (especially when evils fall upon Christians), and the illogical nature of ancient Roman polytheism. Those points were the ones I remember best from my reading of the book though I’m sure he makes some others I’m forgetting right now. I highly recommend it but the reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is just because it is an academic read and would be a hard beginner book for people looking to read the Church Fathers.

[Thomas]

A good translation of the first third of City of God, generously annotated. Read via the Verbum app.