Augustine: City of God, Christian Doctrine

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series #2

by Augustine of Hippo

With over twenty volumes, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a momentous achievement. Originally gathered by Philip Schaff, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a collection of writings by classical and medieval Christian theologians. The purpose of such a collection is to make their writings readily available. The entire work is divided into two series. The first series focuses on two classical Christian theologians--St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom. St. Augustine is one of the most influential and important Christian thinkers of all time. In addition to reprinting his most popular two works--the Confessions and the City of God--these volumes also contain other noteworthy and important works of St. Augustine, such as On the Holy Trinity, Christian Doctrine, and others. St. John Chrysostom was an eloquent speaker and well-loved Christian clergyman. St. John took a more literal interpretation of Scripture, and much of his work focused on practical aspects of Christianity, particularly what is now called social justice. He advocated for the poor, and challenged abuses of authority. This particular volume in the series contains Augustine's City of God and On Christian Doctrine. The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is comprehensive in scope, and provide keen translations of instructive and illuminating texts from some of the greatest theologians of the Christian church. These spiritually enlightening texts have aided Christians for over a thousand years, and remain instructive and fruitful even today!

Tim Perrine
CCEL Staff Writer

This edition of the Early Church Fathers series has been optimized for use on the Kindle with a hierarchical Table of Contents that minimizes the number of page turns required to locate a section of the volume. This edition is among the most accurate electronic editions available, but Hebrew characters do not display on the Kindle.

Genres: Christianity, Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, History, Philosophy

621 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2007

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

[CJ Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

God bless Augustine. Hard to describe and even harder to review the masterwork that City of God is. On Christian Doctrine is a great work in its own right, as well, though not nearly as epic.

[Eli Cohen]

Killed it (justly)

[Coyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Christian Doctrine:

This "little" (for Augustine, at any rate) book covers two main subjects: how to read Scripture, and how to explain it to others.

In terms of how to read Scripture, we need to have the right tools at our disposal. Specifically, this means that we need to know 1) what Scripture is about ("things"), and 2) how Scripture teaches us ("signs"). What we find when we read Scripture correctly is that it is about the Triune God and how man is only at peace when in a proper relationship with Him. "We have wandered far from God; and if we wish to return to our Father's home, this world must be used, not enjoyed." In Scripture we find the truth about us, that we are sinners; the truth about God, that He is holy and has opened up the way of salvation for us; and the truth about salvation, that we will only ever be truly satisfied when we find our peace with God.



Read the rest here:
http://coyleneal.blogspot.com/2014/07...

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again I face the dilemma of how to review these books. I spend far too little time (ie concentration) reading these books to give them a decent review. That should be left to someone who devotes far more attention and scrutiny to these works. Again I will mention that the availability of these books online in free PDF form is a valuable resource.
Beyond that I have not much to say about this work or any other in the series. (Too bad I have at least 10 more of these to read and "review."

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notwithstanding St. Augustine's failure to fully escape gnostic thought and his decision to address the arguments of the pagans via logical argumentation versus a prepositional assessment of Roman philosophy in light of the Word of God, St. Augustine's grasp of the antithesis of the two cities as well his description regarding what constitutes the City of God make this book an excellent resource.

[Jay D]

Key works of St. Augustine. City of God is a masterpiece.