Augustine's Political Thought, Volume 2Richard J. Dougherty Studies on Augustine have burgeoned over the past decade, but attention has focused primarily on his writings on philosophy and theology. Less attention has been given to his political teaching, despite his well-known and influential statements on politics, most notably in his City of God. This collection of essays examines Augustine's corpus with a view to understanding his political thought. Taking seriously what he has to say about politics, the contributors here begin with Augustine's own reflections on politics-and often in writings where one least expects to find such reflections, such as the autobiographical Confessions, his letters, and his sermons. The contributors then consider the ways in which Augustine's teaching relates to that of his predecessors, the classical thinkers, as well as to the thought of other medieval thinkers, revealing that Augustine both drew on and diverged from the classical tradition and influenced the political thought of later medieval and even modern thinkers. This important collection thus contributes to the history of political thought and to the study of the questions at the center of all Western political thought. RICHARD J. DOUGHERTY is professor of politics and chair of the Department of Politics at the University of Dallas. |
Contents
St Augustine and the Problem of Political Ethics in The City of God | 13 |
The Political Dimensions to St Augustines | 36 |
Augustine Giles and Dante | 53 |
Latreia Justice and Mercy in Augustines | 74 |
The Investigation of Justice in Augustines Confessions | 105 |
Augustines | 129 |
Echoes and Adaptations in Augustines Confessions of Platos Teaching | 152 |
The Case of St Augustine | 173 |
Augustines Ciceronian Response to the Ciceronian Patriot | 200 |
Augustines City of God and Roman Sacral Politics | 222 |
The Contribution | 245 |
Notes on Contributors | 273 |
Common terms and phrases
Academicos Aeneid argues argument Augustine says Augustine's political thought Augustinian beata vita Cambridge University Press Cassiciacum dialogues Christ Christian Cicero Ciceronian citizens City of God civic civic religion civitas classical Confessions Corpus Christianorum critical critique Dante deception demons desire discussion divine earthly city Einheit der Nationen emotions esotericism essay Eucharist evil example Fortin Giles glory God's gods happiness honor human humility important intellectual Joseph Ratzinger justice latreia Leo Strauss lust Manichaeism Markus mercy Monnica moral nature Neoplatonism offer officiis pagan passage philosophers Pierre Manent Plato Platonic political Platonists Plotinus polis political order political philosophy Porphyry practice praise publica question Ratzinger Ratzinger's readers reason religious Republic Robert Dodaro Roman religion Rome Rome's sacral politics sacrifice Scipio society Socrates soul spiritual Stoic suicide teaching theology theurgy things tion trans true truth understanding Varro Virgil virtue Volk und Haus worship writings