Friday, May 23
Laws and Harmony
I was thinking when I was reading over what you wrote MJ- first, about the role of laws, second about the harmony you brought up. The book is centered on this City of God... so I was wondering what sort of organization exists within this city? and to what extent does Rome have a similar or contrasting organization or government? Augustine says in 2.21 that "Rome never was a republic, because true justice had never a place in it.... but the fact is, true justice has no existence save in that republic whose founder and ruler is Christ, if at least any choose to call this a republic." I think the image of the harmony is neat as well. I also wondered if the reason Augustine argues the way he does- comparing the two religions on the same level even if they had different aims- was to establish a need for an organization (laws, harmony, justice, etc) in Rome as well as the City of God, thereby presupposing to a certain extent that the Roman religion should be establishing laws... but the Roman gods don't do that...what kind of guardians did the people expect them to be anyways?? and debauchery and chaos result. It seems to me that this sort of life- a chaos in society- is undesirable and not how God wants things. There is a reason for order and heirarchy- God the Father, Christ the Son, the Church, husband and wife, parents and children, etc etc etc. I wonder if Augustine agrees: that the chaos, lack of justice, lack of republic, reveals the weakness of their gods behind Rome- or rather, reveals their "gods" to not be gods...
What is the City of God? some more
Just thought I'd highlight some passages that speak about this City of God I still don't understand.
2.18- the same quote MJ typed: Christ "gradually withdraws His own people from a world that is corrupted by these vices, and is falling into ruins, to make of them an eternal city, whose glory rests not on the acclamations of vanity, but on the judgment of truth." This seemed to me to suggest the city exists now, in this world, as perhaps simply the body of Christ, His Church, that exists here and now but lasts forever.
2.19- "The people of Christ... are enjoined to endure this earthly republic, wicked and dissolute as it is, that so they may by this endurance win for themselves an eminent place in that most holy and august assembly of angels and republic of heaven, in which the will of God is the law." Again, here enters the image of a law to the city, the law as God's will. Also, this suggests more that the city is in heaven alone, and not here and now, for here and now there is only a wicked earthly republic. Hmm.
2.21- again the quote that I mentioned earlier - true justice only where Christ is the founder and ruler. This makes me also think of other things that are not true unless Christ is the founder- like love for example. True Love- sacrificial agape love- is that which is based on Christ. Non-Christians may seek to be sacrificial in their love, but if Christ is not their basis for this, I don't think this is true agape love. Not the love that reflects God. A love that tries to mimic God's love but does not succeed since it is not purely from Him who is Love.
2.29- "Incomparably more glorious than Rome, is that heavenly city in which for victory you have truth; for dignity, holiness; for peace, felicity; for life, eternity." Awesome.
