Augustine, the City of God Which One

Augustine, The City of God

Which one do you think that he is living in?

In The City of God, Saint Augustine of Hippo references two cities. These cities are Rome which he references as the new Babylon and Jerusalem which he calls the city of Heaven because it symbolizes the Christian community. Based upon the way in which he references the two cities, it is likely that St. Augustine lives in Jerusalem. Since he depicts this city in a far more positive light, it is likely that this is where he would choose to live.

According to Augustine, what is the source of human suffering?

Augustine asserts that human suffering is caused by the will of God. He blesses some while cursing others. God does not make people suffer because he is punishing them for wrongs, nor does he grant blessings because he is rewarding them for good deeds. Instead, the suffering is a manifestation of his powers. The best way to alleviate suffering is to pray to God and sometime he will grant your prayers and sometimes they will be ignored. The reason for this is to balance the power in humanity. God granted mankind free will and therefore they are allowed to choose between acts of kindness or acts of evil. They can choose to believe in God or choose to ignore him. With this being the case, God must somehow show his power over humanity and this is what causes human being to suffer. It is to test their faith, to see if they believe in God in times of trouble or turn away from him when they are given more than they need to survive.

3. If God knows everything that will happen in the future, are humans still responsible for their actions?

God supposedly knows everything which will happen, what is happening, and what has happened. The idea is that everything is planned beforehand and all things happen exactly as God wishes it to be, for good and for ill. However, this perspective does not take into account the concept of free will. Although God has a plan, he also grants human beings the ability to make choices for themselves. Human beings may choose to follow the word of God and do right by their fellow men or they may choose to perform acts of evil. If they choose the latter course, then their actions will invariably harm others either directly or indirectly. When a person makes a choice, they are not only affecting themselves but perhaps their friends and loved ones. Since they are the catalyst of potential negativity, then they are undeniably responsible for the ramifications of their actions. God may make plans, but the lets mankind choose and the power to choose a course absolutely makes a person accountable for those choices. They are not absolved by God's plan.