City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example)
Firstly we look at the different understandings of the word 'flesh' - it is used in the Bible in both good and bad senses - unlike the teaching of pagan philosophers where flesh is primarily seen to be bad.
Then we see that the problem with the flesh is not that it is a source of corruption, but it has been corrupted by sin: 'For the corruption of the body, which weighs down the soul, is not the cause of the first sin, but its punishment.' This corruption results in two cities by which man lives according to either two standards: man's or God's.
Next human emotions come under examination, including love, desire/will, fear, joy and grief. These can be experienced by people in both cities. But those in the city of God experience them rightly whereas those in the city of man experience them wrongly.
Then Augustine begins looking at the place of emotions in the garden of Eden - this discussion overlaps into next week's reading.
What grabbed me
I enjoyed how Augustine showed that every sin is a lie: 'For sin only happens by an act of will; and our will is for our own welfare, or for the avoidance of misfortune. And hence the falsehood: we commit sin to promote our welfare, and it results instead in our misfortune; or we sin to increase our welfare, and the result is rather to increase our misfortune. What is the reason for this, except that well-being can only come to man from God, not from himself? And he forsakes God by sinning, and he sins by living by his own standard.'
We sin because we think it will be profitable for us - but that is a lie because all sin is unprofitable.
Continue Book 14 by reading Chapters 13 to 28.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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