The City of God

City of God addresses itself to issues and questions raised by pagans, but it has been preserved and read largely by Christians throughout its history. Whom do you think was Augustine’s intended audience for this book: pagans, Christians, or both?

If Part 1 of City of God is Augustine going on offense against paganism, and Part 2 is his defense of Christianity, in which role do you think Augustine made a more effective case? What weaknesses, if any, do you think his strongest case has?

Analyze Augustine’s use of literary devices in City of God. In what aspects can you most see Augustine’s professional training as a rhetorician coming through? How does his rhetorical style compare to that of some of his notable contemporaries, both pagan and Christian?

Throughout the text, Augustine chooses debate partners from the classics of Greek and Latin literature and interacts with them as a way of making his arguments. Choose one of Augustine’s debate partners (Varro, the Stoics, the Platonists, etc.) and write a response to one of Augustine’s arguments as you imagine that that person might have written it.

In Augustine’s sections on biblical interpretation in Part 2 of City of God, he tries to provide comprehensive treatment of any question that might arise, leading to him developing speculative theories on many points of biblical minutiae. Choose one of those speculative theories and write an essay comparing and contrasting Augustine’s idea to other Christian interpretations of the biblical text.

Research the history of the late Roman Empire and consider the argument of Augustine’s opponents, that Christianity had a weakening effect on the empire. Why do you think they might suspect this, and is there any historical merit to that idea? Why or why not?

If you were a Roman pagan during Augustine’s day, which of his arguments do you think you would have found most effective, and which least?

Compare Augustine’s portrayal of the effects of sin in City of God, which became foundational in the Western Christian tradition, with theological concepts about sin’s effects in the Eastern Christian traditions. How are they the same and how are they different?