A Tale of Two Cities




by Nathan Zibliich

The Political Writings
by St. Augustine
Edited, with an Introduction by Henry Paolucci and Interpretive Analysis by Dino Bigongiari
Gateway Editions
Regnery Publishing
358 pp., $12.95   

    The proper relationship between faith and politics is a difficult if not at times disturbing question. In the fourth century of our Lord, the then Bishop of Hippo, St. Augustine, wrote extensively on the proper, if at times tenuous, relationship between faith and politics. Augustine’s output was vast; there survive 113 books and treatises, over 200 letters, and more than 500 sermons. His best known work of political philosophy City of God is nearly 1000 pages alone.

    Here in this book, Henry Paolucci and Regnary Publishing offer the serious and curious alike an approachable and academic volume entitled, The Political Writings taken from the writings of the great Doctor of the Latin Church. In preparing this volume Paolucci has undertaken an exhaustive search to provide the reader with a comprehensive selection of St. Augustine’s political writings. The Political Writings contains seminal and germane pieces from The City of God, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John, Treatise Concerning the Correction of the Donatists, Sermons, and Letters and as well as an insightful and illuminating introduction provided by the editor himself.

    In the text itself, Paolucci divides his selections of Augustine’s writings into six categories: The Origins of Coercive Government, the Rise and Fall of Nations, Securing the Peace of Babylon in which St. Augustine’s famous theory of the “just war” is presented, Persecution of Heretics containing Augustine’s somewhat controversial view of compelling heretics to join the church, Ecclesiastical Intercession in Civil Affairs, and Captivity in Babylon. In addition, The Political Writings affords the reader two thought-provoking lectures on St. Augustine’s political ideas by Dino Bigongiari, originally delivered at Columbia University in 1954.

    The importance and relevance of St. Augustine’s writings to his time and ours is what makes his work a “classic” of Western Civilization. The main question central to St. Augustine in these political writings was that of the proper role of faith in politics. For some living during the twilight of the Roman Empire, Christ’s coming to earth, suffering, death and resurrection appeared to have little beneficial consequences; their world around them was crumbling. As with ‘the problem of evil’ an apparent paradox exists. Should not an empire ruled by a Christian ruler enjoy peace, protection, and prosperity? Had not Christ come to save the world? St. Augustine sought to dispel this fallacious thinking and remind us that Christ’s coming was not to create heaven on earth but to save our souls so that we might enjoy eternal happiness with God.

    In addition, St. Augustine stresses that even with the possibility of a Christian theocracy on earth, the limitations of human institutions and nature prevent Christ’s teachings from ever being fully implemented. In Augustine’s terminology, the City of God is not the same as the City of Man. Consequently we cannot and should not expect from this world what it is not capable of providing.

    The two cities, the City of God and the City of Man, are constantly at war, St. Augustine warns us. But we Christians know to whom the final victory belongs. The Political Writings is a testament to the genius and Christian vision of St. Augustine.

Nathan Ziblich received his Masters of Arts in Philosophy from Oxford University.

The Catholic Faith - January/February '98 - Table of Contents