Summary About The City of God San Agustin
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ScribdTranslationsSummary About The City of God San Agustin
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ScribdTranslationsSummary about the city of God San Agustin
One of the most important events that generated a great uprising in Rome.
it was when it was plundered by the Visigothic forces of Alaric in the
410. A fact that not only caused difficulties for Rome, but also for
the Christians and pagans of that time, for they came to accuse the
Christians of its decadence.
Based on this accusation, Saint Augustine, as a good Christian and Bishop,
write one of the most important apologies for the history of the Church,
in order to clarify the facts that really occurred. In his work On
The City of God produces a masterful text against the pagans of that time.
Comment
In this first part, taking into account the situation of Christians in this century, and also
The stance of St. Augustine, it should be clarified, is a text that serves as an example for us.
to know how to live Christianity with greater interest and effectiveness. The defense of the faith is not carried out
end with weapons, but with dialogue, patience, hope, and above all with prayer. Saint Augustine
it allows us to see a person who gives their life for a Christ who gave his life for him. Today we see
reproaches and insults against the Church, against our beliefs, and have we perhaps responded in
defense?
Saint Augustine in this apology firmly clarified that the great perdition
it was not the Christians who brought down Rome, but rather it fell because it was
addicted to her actions. This saint also highlights the role
of the savior in this story of persecution, for it is God who allows
these abuses in Rome so that she herself had to pay the
consequences of their own damages.
The City of God shows us two principles of conduct of men:
the moral that tells us that we reach him through our good actions, and the
love for God that teaches us the true path. These two principles
they constitute the city of God; however, the author also relates it
like the aversion to God and the rejection of his law which constitutes the city
terrestrial.
The structure of this book is as follows:
The first block is composed of ten books, and the second block is
consisting of 12 books, which will total twenty-two.
In the first part, we see the defender's position as such. Saint Augustine
wants to show what true Christianity and its beliefs are, having
also take into account that the biggest problem it faces is the
paganism; a paganism that hurls insults against its religion, and that is why
that from there he wants to show Christian truths.
In the first, second, and third book of the first block, try to demonstrate
it was not the Christians who sacked the city of Rome, but rather
It was the same fall of the empire. It was the perversions that were committed.
there, the causes of their downfall.
Saint Augustine implies that they were wolves disguised as false ones.
gods who corrupted the city, and brought it to an end.
Comment
It is not God who causes misfortunes, but man himself who does.
responsible for these happening. Upon seeing a fallen Rome due to its
The same laws and officials, we can answer many questions.
about why in our current reality we are repeating actions
from ancient Rome.
Laws that approve abortion, even perversions that are approved in order to
give ourselves certain "pleasures", without considering that these same ones will be the
cause of our condemnation
In books four and five, Saint Augustine is going to talk about the hand of
God in the development of history, even how God permits perversion
and the fall of Rome, to put an end to the paganism that was manifesting there.
Similarly, in the next three books, six, seven, and eight, he comments on
Varrón, who proposes something unreal that does not exist, regarding what he has.
what to see in books six and seven, and also proposed a philosophy as religion
even similar to Christianity.
And in the last 2 books of this first block, Agustín shows the
Christianity as the only religion that contains the truth, which loves God, and
his Son Jesus who saved us with his death.
Comment:
God always acts for the good, but also allows, based on our freedom, that
we are looking for him
In the second part of the book, it explores more thoroughly about THE CITY OF
GOD. There He presents all His doctrine and defense. However, this block
it also has a scheme, namely:
Some causes, a development, and some consequences related to
the city of God and the earthly city.
In the books from eleven to fourteen, it deals with the work of creation, making
emphasis on men and angels since these two are the ones that
they are part of both cities.
The origin of the earthly city was sin, considering that there
Satan and his angels rebelled against God. However, also
the freedom of angels created space founded these two opposing cities.
The example of this division is evidenced in Adam and Eve, and in their own
procreation, since there was even a division among them.
In books fifteen and eighteen, it will address the development of the two
Comment:
The previous books reveal to us today the same characteristics.
with which we live. A world that offers us empty laws to
to build an earthly city, disregarding the reality of a city
divine that is built with values
cities in history, in relation to the Holy Scripture, so to say
in books nineteen to twenty-three, the endings of both cities.
These latest books will take into account themes such as: heaven, hell,
the final judgment.
The earthly city and the heavenly city:
In the book eleven, it highlights the beginning of the two cities, the earthly
and the heavenly one. However, for Saint Augustine, the ideal is to reach the city
celestial on the path of the earthly city, which can be considered as
a utopia. But this utopia will come to develop, as long as
let's be willing to change our attitude.
Conclusion:
For Saint Augustine, the City of God must refer to the city.
divine, to the new Jerusalem, and not so much to the earthly one. It is also notable to see
how in the work there is a great separation between Church and state, which
it helped for this to be taken into account.
Agustin says that if man wants to achieve peace and celestial happiness,
You must do it right away, as it is a task that cannot be postponed.
but must shape its soul to the service of God and neighbor.
The city of God begins to be lived on earth, considering that in
there are also factors that can distance us from it, such as
those who do not acknowledge God by placing their happiness in the ephemeral.
The task of the human being then is to be able to live in the earthly city, but
with the gaze on God and thus building on earth, the heavenly city that
God wants for everyone.
This work was written in 413-426 in connection with the sack of Rome.
by the Goths. Thus, Saint Augustine embarks on this new project, to
prove that the Christian religion was not responsible for those acts.
