
The City of God, Volume 1
'The City of God, Volume 1' Summary
Rome having been stormed and sacked by the Goths under Alaric their king, the worshipers of false gods, or pagans, as we commonly call them, made an attempt to attribute this calamity to the Christian religion, and began to blaspheme the true God with even more than their wonted bitterness and acerbity. It was this which kindled my zeal for the house of God, and prompted me to undertake the defense of the city of God against the charges and misrepresentations of its assailants. This work was in my hands for several years, owing to the interruptions occasioned by many other affairs which had a prior claim on my attention, and which I could not defer.
However, this great undertaking was at last completed in twenty-two books. Of these, the first five refute those who fancy that the polytheistic worship is necessary in order to secure worldly prosperity, and that all these overwhelming calamities have befallen us in consequence of its prohibition. In the following five books I address myself to those who admit that such calamities have at all times attended, and will at all times attend, the human race, and that they constantly recur in forms more or less disastrous, varying only in the scenes, occasions, and persons on whom they light, but, while admitting this, maintain that the worship of the gods is advantageous for the life to come. In these ten books, then, I refute these two opinions, which are as groundless as they are antagonistic to the Christian religion.
But that no one might have occasion to say, that though I had refuted the tenets of other men, I had omitted to establish my own, I devote to this object the second part of this work, which comprises twelve books, although I have not scrupled, as occasion offered, either to advance my own opinions in the first ten books, or to demolish the arguments of my opponents in the last twelve. Of these twelve books, the first four contain an account of the origin of these two cities—the city of God, and the city of the world. The second four treat of their history or progress; the third and last four, of their deserved destinies. And so, though all these twenty-two books refer to both cities, yet I have named them after the better city, and called them The City of God.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
LatinPublished In
426 CEGenre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors

Saint Augustine of Hippo
Algeria, Rome
Augustine of Hippo also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian, philosopher, and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings influenced the development of Western philo...
Books by Saint Augustine of HippoDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Bible (YLT) 24: Jeremiah by Young's Literal Translation
Young's Literal Translation is a translation of the Bible into English, published in 1862. The translation was made by Robert Young, compiler of Young...

Novum Organum by Francis Bacon
The Novum Organum, fully Novum Organum, sive Indicia Vera de Interpretatione Naturae ("New organon, or true directions concerning the interpretation o...

Restoration of the Gospel by Osborne J. P. Widtsoe
This book provides an overview of the events and teachings associated with the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Sm...

The Nature and Authority of Conscience by Rufus Jones
Rufus Matthew Jones an American religious leader, writer, magazine editor, philosopher, and college professor. He was instrumental in the establishmen...

Bible (YLT) NT 11: Epistle to the Philippians by Young's Literal Translation
This book contains the Epistle to the Philippians, which is one of the books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was written by the Apostl...

Treasury of David, Vol. 7 (Abridged) by Charles H. Spurgeon
The seventh and final volume of Charles Spurgeon's exposition of the Psalms, covering Psalms 125 to 150. Spurgeon's insights and practical application...

Bible (DRV) Apocrypha/Deuterocanon: Baruch by Douay-Rheims Version
The Book of Baruch consists of exhortation to Jews in exile to accept exile, hope for the mercy of God, and resist the temptation to worship idols of...

Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII by Pope Leo XIII
This collection compiles thirty of Pope Leo XIII's most prominent encyclicals and letters, offering a comprehensive look at his thoughts on various is...

Spiritual Antidote against Sinful Contagion in Dying Times by Thomas Doolittle
This work by Thomas Doolittle, written in the midst of a plague epidemic, serves as a spiritual guide and exhortation. It offers solace and encouragem...

The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians by Polycarp
Polycarp was a pupil of the Disciple John who taught him in the Christian faith. He spread the gospel and had great influence in all the Western and E...
Reviews for The City of God, Volume 1
No reviews posted or approved, yet...