Episode 248: The City of God - Book VIII: Chapters 1-14

Episode 248: The City of God - Book VIII: Chapters 1-14

In The City of God Book VIII, Chapters 1-14, St. Augustine examines the philosophical traditions surrounding the concept of God, focusing on how pagan philosophy—particularly Platonism—approaches divine truth. He praises the Platonic philosophers for their emphasis on the immaterial and eternal nature of God, acknowledging their insights as the closest pagan philosophy comes to Christian truth. However, Augustine critiques their failure to recognize Christ as the mediator between God and humanity. He also contrasts Platonic thought with the errors of other philosophical schools, such as the Epicureans and Stoics, who either deny divine providence or misunderstand it. Augustine argues that true wisdom and salvation come only through the Christian faith, which surpasses and fulfills the incomplete truths of pagan philosophy.

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