The Essential City of God

Augustine is the most influential thinker in Western Christianity, and City of God is arguably his greatest work. However, its length and complexity make its argument difficult to follow, even for specialists.

This one-stop resource offers introductory essays, essential selections from City of God, and critical commentary on the text, enabling readers to study Augustine for themselves. It makes Augustine's thought accessible, explains his ideas clearly, and prompts further reading.

Constructed and composed with the classroom in mind, this volume introduces Augustine's text by abridging and explaining the primary source material. These selections focus on Augustine's social and political thought while indicating the larger contours of his work.

This book retrieves ancient wisdom for the modern world, presenting an enduring vision for faithfulness and hope in times of social instability.

Introduction
History of the Romans
Book 1: Preface, 1-9, 15-36
Essays
Providence and Suffering
Pagan Virtue
City of God 1.16-1.28: Rape of Christian Women
War
Book 2: 17-21
Essays
Roman Spectacles
Book 3: 1, 9-12, 23-31
Book 4: 1-8, 14-16
Essays
Roman Religion
Book 5: Preface, 1, 12-20, 24-26
Book 10: 1-8, 16, 19-20
Essays
Platonists and Platonism
Angels and Demons
Eucharist
Book 12: 22-23, 28
Book 13: 1-8, 12-15
Essays
Original Sin    000
Book 14: 1-15, 28    000
Essays
Body
Women
Evil as Privation
Book 15: 1-7
Essays
Predestination and the Will
Book 17: 1-4a, 5-7
Essays
Figurative Interpretation of Scripture
Book 18: 1-2, 27, 46-51, 54e
Essays
Eusebius's "Chronicle"
Jews and Judaism
Book 19
Essays
Stoics and Stoicism
Slavery
Porphyry
Last Things
Book 22: 6-7, 29-30
Appendix: Outline of City of God