St. AUGUSTINE AND CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW

        theologian, Bishop of Hippo (north Africa); Church Father

 

Autobiography = Confessions:  mother Monica;
                           Carthage; conversion;  Bishop Ambrose of Milan

 Refutation of 4-5th C. Heresies (incorrect doctrines):

     Manicheanism:  problem of evil in monotheism
              dualism as explanation for evil:
                           good God vs evil God
              omnipotence of God  vs goodness of God
             Augustine: theory of evil as absence of good

     Pelagianism:  4th C. Roman priest, Pelagius
                           salvation through effort, good works = morality
        Augustine: original sin as totally corrupting, need grace

 

 

410 Sack of city of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth (German)
       pagans blame Christians for the sack of Rome      
       declining role of Roman Senate since Diocletian

 

St. Augustine’s response: Christian theory of history

 

413 CITY OF GOD (vs City of man):

Christian versus Roman explanations of Sack of Rome :

      Roman: abandonment of worship of official Roman gods
 
Augustine: Rome as the “city of man,” impermanent,

     state as punishment for original sin, fallen
     heavenly City of God versus earthly city (Rome)
       but Roman Empire divinely ordained to spread Christianity               
     divine Providence guides history towards last days