The connection between state and religion according to Augustine's "City of God."

Abstract

This magnificent work, "magnum opus et arduum", includes 22 books. Augustine himself talks about the content of the book. The work can be divided into two main parts: the first (I-X), rejects the claim of the pagan religion that it guarantees prosperity and luck in this world (I-V: social poverty) and worldly animals (VI-X: spiritual poverty). In the second (XI-XXII), he discusses and reviews civitas terrena and civitas caelestis - the earthly and heavenly city: the beginning (XI-XIV), the development and progress in time (XV-XVIII) and the end (eschatological result) (XIX-XXII). These two parts are intertwined - the first is an introduction to the second - - both pagans (especially the Roman aristocracy) and Christians are selected on this principle. Distinguished from each other by two cities (civitas Dei e civitas hominis), Augustine seeks solid answers in the cultural-political vacuum caused by the fall of the empire. Now that everything is clear about pagan antiquity and its vast heritage, Augustus-Tine paves the way for a new Christianity. This is why he became a teacher of the Christian West (the Middle Ages simply referred to him as - Augustinus magister).