The Cambridge Companion to Augustine's City of God [Hardcover]

Masterfully explains Augustine's major work The City of God book by book through engagement with theology, history and political science.This work is unique in treating Augustine's The City of God book by book in depth with expertise commentary. It will prove valuable to any student interested in Augustine and to any advanced scholar working with issues of theology, philosophy, cultural studies and political theory in the ancient world and today.This work is unique in treating Augustine's The City of God book by book in depth with expertise commentary. It will prove valuable to any student interested in Augustine and to any advanced scholar working with issues of theology, philosophy, cultural studies and political theory in the ancient world and today.Augustine of Hippo's The City of God is generally considered to be one of the key works of Late Antiquity. Written in response to allegations that Christianity had brought about the decline of Rome, Augustine here explores themes in history, political science, and Christian theology, and argues for the truth of Christianity over competing religions and philosophies. This Companion volume includes specially-commissioned essays by an international team of scholars that provide new insights into The City of God. Offering commentary on each of this massive work's 22 books chapters, they sequentially and systematically explore The City of God as a whole. Collectively, these essays demonstrate the development and coherence of Augustine's argument. The volume will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of ancient and contemporary theology, philosophy, cultural studies, and political theory.1. Book 1: Rome's crumbling and consecration as the beginnings of Augustine's theological historiography David Vincent Meconi; 2. Book 2: Romulus's city: peace without justice in Augustine's political thought Oliver O'Donovan; 3. Book 3: Rome's woes before Christ: history and rhetoric in The City of God Christian Tornau; 4. BolCT