AUGUSTINE Flashcards
What does Augustine say is the cause of the downfall of cities in the past?
The adoration of many gods and the focus on material wealth and pleasures, leading to moral decay.
What is Augustine’s view on Original Sin?
- Original sin is the state of corruption and guilt inherited from Adam and Eve.
- All humans are born with a devilish inclination
- inability to do good without God’s grace.
Why do even innocent babies suffer according to Augustine?
Tragedies, including the suffering of innocent babies, are allowed by God to teach us and make us hope for eternal happiness.
What is the purpose of Augustine’s City of God?
Augustine wrote City of God to defend Christianity from critiques that it weakened the Roman Empire by contrasting two cities: the earthly city and the City of God.
What are the key characteristics of the Earthly City in Augustine’s City of God?
- Based on self-love, material success, and sin.
- Seeks power, wealth, and pleasures.
- It is doomed to collapse due to its foundation in original sin.
What are the key characteristics of the City of God in Augustine’s City of God?
- Guided by the love of God and not concerned with material success.
- It is a spiritual state of the soul, seeking eternal life with God.
- All citizens have the same objective: to love and adore God.
What is Augustine’s critique of the Earthly City?
It is obsessed with material goods, wealth accumulation, and power, which leads to its inevitable collapse because it is built on unstable foundations.
How does Augustine define citizenship in the City of God?
Citizenship in the City of God is for anyone who loves God and desires to act according to Christian values. They are pilgrims in this world, waiting for eternity, and have responsibilities in both the earthly and spiritual worlds.
What is the relationship between earthly and heavenly citizenship in Augustine’s view?
Earthly citizenship is temporal and marred by sin, while true citizenship is found in the eternal, divine City of God, where salvation and true justice reside.
How does Augustine’s view of politics differ from Plato and Aristotle?
Augustine views earthly politics as secondary to divine matters and unable to provide ultimate justice or salvation, while Plato and Aristotle see politics as essential for achieving justice and virtue in society.
According to Augustine, where is true justice found?
True justice is found only in the City of God, achieved through divine grace. Earthly justice is flawed due to human beings’ sinful nature.
What role does the Church play in Augustine’s concept of justice?
The Church guides Christians toward eternal justice, serving as the moral authority over participation in political life.
How does Augustine’s view of the state differ from Plato and Aristotle?
Augustine believes the state is not an end in itself but a temporary necessity to maintain order in a fallen world. Plato and Aristotle see the state as essential for human flourishing and virtue.
What does Augustine emphasize in his letters to Nectarius?
Augustine stresses the importance of unity within the Church, the authority of the Church in resolving doctrinal disputes, and the need to protect the Church from heresies.
