Two Cities: Augustine’s City of God (Chuck Colson on citizenship)

BreakPoint ^ | 27 Jan 04 | Chuck Colson

[Mr. Silverback]

On August 24, 410 A.D. , the Visigoths, led by Alaric, sacked Rome. For the people of late antiquity, August 24 was even more traumatic than September 11 was for us. Rome, the capital of the greatest empire the world had ever known, was plundered by barbarians, people Romeregarded as uncouth and inferior.

In North Africa , these events prompted a Christian bishop to start writing about the lessons Christians should take away from the destruction of Rome. The result was a book that is every bit as relevant for our day as it was for his: The City of God by St. Augustine of Hippo.

In response to critics who blamed Rome’s demise on the fact that she abandoned the pagan gods and turned to Christ, Augustine introduced readers to two cities: the “City of God” and the “City of Man.” The City of Man is shaped by the love of self, even to the contempt of God, and the City of Godis shaped by the love of God, even to the contempt of self.

In describing the two cities, Augustine reiterated Jesus’ teaching that while Christians live in the City of Man, they do not belong to the City of Man. Their presence in the earthly city is like that of strangers sojourning in a foreign country. We are to enjoy the blessings the City of Man has to offer, including its rights, its protection, and its preservation of order, but we are always ready to move on. The City of Man is not our true home. No, our true home is in the City of God. And it is to that city that we owe our affections and our ultimate loyalty.

While this sounds like a recipe for withdrawal, it is anything but that. Augustine taught that, just as we are to enjoy the blessings of the City of Man, we must assume the obligations of citizenship. As he put it, “Caesar looks for his own likeness, give it to him.” Only, instead of fulfilling these obligations out of compulsion and fear, the Christian does so out of obedience to God and love of neighbor. Being a good citizen means doing our civic duty and, of course, voting.

As we enter this election year, the struggle for our culture’s soul has simultaneously produced passivity and defeatism in some evangelical quarters and a shrill triumphalism in others. Neither response, as Augustine teaches, is the proper Christian response.

We can never retreat into our sanctuaries and neglect our civic responsibility to help set the moral tone of our culture. Leaving your neighbor in ignorance of his folly is inconsistent with the command to love him, and so political and cultural engagement are required for faithful believers. We are, I like to put it, to bring the influence of the City of God into the City of Man, working for justice and righteousness.

At the same time, if we controlled every legislative, executive, and judiciary branch, we still could not transform the City of Man into the City of God. That’s why talk about making this a “Christian nation” is wrong-headed and needlessly scares our neighbors.

Over the next few days, I’ll be discussing what it means to be a Christian and a citizen in contemporary America: the temptations, pitfalls, and opportunities. Getting this right starts with the paradox Augustine taught: The best citizens of the City of Man are those who remember that their true citizenship is in the City of God.

[tcuoohjohn]

I think if you check the record you will find you are in error.

[tcuoohjohn]

I noted that I have forgiven Colson as a Christian. Again...His reaffirmation of faith however does not compell me to follow his guidance however. I applaud Colson's epiphany of faith. End Of Message.

[tcuoohjohn]

and Indeed that is a laudable thing. Colson religious views are Augustinian while I am more Thomist in my beliefs. We disagree on a very fundamental level. As I said previously. Colson's epiphany does not obligate me to accept his guidance. EOM

[tcuoohjohn]

Curiously I do in a philosophical sense. Augustinan thought,while laudable,is too loose a structure to support the demands of an increasingly complex world. I am somewhat chary of over simplfied structures. Lots of room for bumptious manipulation.

[tcuoohjohn]

Now this will be a clever joke...My concern with Augustine is not his misuse of files. I am concerned with the lack of philosophical cohesion WITHIN the files.

[Zack Nguyen]

No, you aren't obligated to accept his guidance. But you are obligated not to throw his "dismal past" back at him as a reason not to agree with his activities now. At least you are if you want to be consistent. Colson's work has brought many to a saving faith in Christ. Analyze that, if you will, and make your judgment.

[tcuoohjohn]

Chuck Colson pled to one count. The government doesn't care how many counts you plead to..just that you plead. Colson was charged with 19 counts. He pled to one. Done deal. He was gonna get the same sentence whether he pled to one or all 19.

[rcofdayton]

I'll ask you again, Don't you agree it is a shame that no one from the Clinton administration went to prison for illegally getting and possessing over 900 FBI files?

[tcuoohjohn]

well..Ken Starr investigated the matter fully with the full resources of the US Government. He is a very skilled lawyer and tends to be very thorough. After investigating he concluded that the allegation didn't merit being taken to the Grand Jury. Now either Ken Starr was wholly remiss in his conclusion or he was an agent of Bill Clinton. Take your pick.

[rcofdayton]

Starr did not have sufficient evidence of who was guilty. It is clear a crime was committed and you are happy the Clinton administration got away with it. Hypocrite!

[Mr. Silverback]

I think if you check the record you will find you are in error.

How exactly is he in error?

[Mr. Silverback]

Now this will be a clever joke...

Not really. Don't quit your day job.

[Mr. Silverback]

What Zack said in post 46. Your characterization of Colson has been foolish, pompous and self-righteous. If you really are dismissing the man because of his pre-conversion sins or some nitnoy philosophical point, you are definitely a Pharisee.

[tcuoohjohn]

I see...anyone who holds a different point of view is a " Pharisee". Bit facile isn't it?

All truth begins as heresy. Just ask Jesus.

[tcuoohjohn]

Let him check the record..

[tcuoohjohn]

Then explain the joke..

[Mr. Silverback]

Let him check the record..

I have found in the past that this sort of response means one of three things:

1. The accuser has made an accusation he cannot back up, and knows it.

2. The accuser is at least as shaky on the record as he claims his target to be, and he doesn't want to say "This is what he got wrong" because he might screw it up and look stupid. Of course, he would look stupid for making the accusation in the first place, not for any minor factual error, but it's too late...

3. The accuser is at least as shaky on the record as he claims his target to be, and he's too lazy to do the research to confirm his memory, so he adopts a "guilty until proven innocent" attitude and places the burden of proof on the accused.

[Mr. Silverback]

Before I could do that, it would have to be a joke. To be a joke, it would have to be funny. What you have done is handed me a piece of steel plate and asked me to explain why banana peels are slippery. No go on that!

[Mr. Silverback]

I see...anyone who holds a different point of view is a " Pharisee". Bit facile isn't it?

Well, that's about 180 degrees out from what I said! I said you were a Pharisee because (note: actual words ahead, please pay attention) you were "dismissing the man because of his pre-conversion sins or some nitnoy philosophical point".

So, let's see...Pharisees (1) were extremely judgemental of "sinners" including some people who were not sinners at all, and (2) often "strained at a gnat," choosing to dismiss their fellow man based on nitnoy interpretations of the law rather than a spirit of mercy, humility and brotherhood.

So...the dismal past stuff fits example #1, and the "He's not a Thomist, so who cares what he thinks" stuff fits example #2. So, if the shoe fits...

All truth begins as heresy. Just ask Jesus.

A man presents truth, you dismiss him as a heretic. Sound more like Jesus, or more like a Pharisee? Here's a hint, the answer begins with the same sound as "foolish."

[Salvation]

Memorial of St. Augustine is supressed by the Sunday liturgy. BTTT on 08-28-05!