Augustine's The City of God

Augustine’s City of God is undeniably a classic, but what makes it deserve its reputation? A course which makes close reading a priority, yet informed by scholarship that illuminates both its intellectual context and further influence. It provides a course in "Patristics" yet clearly also relates to the history of Political Thought and Ecclesiology. The last three sessions will consider the historical and cultural capital of the book together with the traditional yet provocative positions taken and argued for; hence there will be room for examing the significance of the ideas. The course will approach the material with an eye to influences (biblical-Christian and pagan), regard for questions about the public and political arena, and the wider or deeper theological issues at stake.