City of God - Augustine - X- Book 5 completed

Required reading
City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Finish Book 5 (Chapters 13-20).

My summary
Last week when we began Book 5 we saw that Augustine was 'inquiring why God was willing that the Roman Empire should extend so widely and last so long.'  Most of last week's reading was ruling out the favour of false gods as the reason Roman was ever successful.

This week Augustine provides the reason: the sovereign God bestowed temporal reward on Roman high qualities of character.  Many of the Roman emperors did administer justice and were good to their people and for this 'received their reward in full.'

Augustine then explains that the Romans loved praise and although a sin, it limits other sins.  Augustine goes on to condemn in Christians such a love of glory that should be attributed to God.

What grabbed me
Augustine point about the love of praise limiting sin was most insightful: 'The kingdoms of the East had enjoyed renown for a long time, when God decided that a Western empire should arise, later in time, but more renowned for the extent and grandeur of its dominion.  And, to suppress the grievous evils of many nations, he entrusted this dominion to those men, in preference to all others, who served their country for the sake of honour, praise and glory, who looked to find that glory in their country's safety above their own and who suppressed greed for money and many other faults in favour of that one fault of theirs, the love of praise.'

I think Augustine is right and I think this is still one of the reasons why people of great wealth and power in Western cultures don't immerse themselves in sin.  Celebrities particularly are ones who can do all kinds of evil with their money and status, but they choose not to.  Not because they don't want to sin, but because they fear the scandals that can erupt in the media.  They love the praise of people and so they limit their sinful behaviours. 

I like the way you think Augustine!

Next week's reading
Read all of Book 6.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.