1 / 7

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. 354-430. Background. North Africa Home of Perpetua and Felicity (Carthage) Serious, rigorous in faith Dominant presence of Donatists Violent conflict in Augustine’s time But “backwaters” of Empire. Augustine’s life.

hakan
Télécharger la présentation

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo 354-430

  2. Background • North Africa • Home of Perpetua and Felicity (Carthage) • Serious, rigorous in faith • Dominant presence of Donatists • Violent conflict in Augustine’s time • But “backwaters” of Empire

  3. Augustine’s life • Ambitious pagan father Patricius, pious Christian mother Monica • Well-educated, career in rhetoric (law) • Spent his youth “searching” • For love: lived with a woman for 15 yrs, had a son • For meaning: read philosophy, joined different religious/philosophical groups • For God: unsure about Christianity as a youth • Confessions 1: “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”

  4. Influential ideas • Human condition • Created to love • Deeply influenced by sin (“original sin”), especially “pride” (RWCH, 200) • Love • Two loves: for God, for people/creation • People become unhappy when loves are confused • Challenge of life: order loves properly • “enjoy” God for God’s own sake • “use” things of creation to get to love of God • “love” neighbor in God (“use with delight”) • Church and society • Human nature is mixed, church is mixed • “Two loves founded two cities” (Chidester, 134)

  5. City of God • Response to pagan critique and Christian triumphalism • Contrasts “earthly” and “heavenly” city • Founded on two desires, therefore: • proper to human nature • But must be ordered correctly • Heavenly city • “pilgrim” in earthly life • Not identical to church, but Christians have dual citizenship • Challenge for Christians: sort through their duties to both cities (202, ch. 14) • “Common cause” for mortal human life for both cities (203, ch. 17): civil law

  6. Questions • Is he right, that peace is the purpose of waging war? (p199) Is it the highest good? • Would anyone disagree, in Aug’s time or today? How/why? • What might Augustine’s voice contribute to contemporary discussions of religion and politics? • Common good (203) • Best use of temporal goods for both cities (202) • WWAD re: views of church?

More Related