The City of God, Volume II

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Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The City of God, Volume II

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Augustine of Hippo explores the origins of human sin and the dual nature of society in this profound theological treatise. Examining the Fall of Man, the corruption of the soul, and the distinction between living according to the flesh versus the spirit, the work argues that divine grace is the sole rescuer from the misery of the second death. With a tone of solemn conviction and intellectual rigor, this classic text offers an enduring examination of the eternal triumph of...

Summary up to 500 words

In this continuation of his seminal work, Augustine of Hippo delves deeply into the theological consequences of the first man's disobedience. The text establishes that the sin of the first man plunged humanity into the endless misery of the second death, a penalty from which only the undeserved grace of God could rescue a select few. Augustine argues that God created all men from one individual to bind them together in harmony, yet the disobedience of the first two altered human nature for the worse, transmitting liability to sin and death to posterity. The author rigorously defines the concepts of living 'after the flesh' and 'after the spirit.' He clarifies that 'flesh' in Scripture does not merely denote the physical body but often signifies the human person themselves, particularly when driven by vices. Augustine lists the 'works of the flesh' not just as bodily indulgences like fornication or drunkenness, but as the vices of the inner man, including hatred, variance, envy, and pride. He asserts that even those who abstain from bodily pleasure for the sake of idolatry or heresy are living after the flesh, as these are vices of the soul. A central argument posits that the corruption of the body is not the cause of sin but its punishment. While the corruptible body weighs down the soul, the true origin of vice lies in the sinful soul itself, which made the flesh corruptible. Augustine contrasts living according to man (a lie) with living according to God (the truth). He notes that when man lives according to himself, he becomes like the devil, who, though possessing no flesh, exhibits the same vices of pride and envy. The text also addresses the history of persecution against the Church. Augustine challenges the pagan notion that the Christian religion was destined to last only three hundred and sixty-five years, a claim based on false divination. He demonstrates that the Church not only survived this period but grew and flourished despite the cruelties of numerous persecutions by various emperors and kings. He concludes that the specific timing of the final persecution is hidden from human knowledge, belonging solely to the Father's power, and that the Church's endurance is a testament to divine grace rather than magical arts or limited prophecy.

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Categories

• Religion