City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example)
Basically he sees the city of man beginning with Cain. Thus the city has always been a city of conflict beginning with the fraticide of Abel.
Also, part of today's reading contains an argument as to why there were people for Cain to found a city among, when a superficial reading of the Genesis implies that there are only three men alive.
What grabbed me
Augustine made a good point about why people of the earthly city pay attention to gods: 'And this is the characteristic of the earthly city - to worship a god or gods so that with their assistance it may reign in the enjoyment of victories and an earthly peace, not with a loving concern for others, but with a lust for domination over them. For the good make use of this world in order to enjoy God, whereas the evil want to make use of God in order to enjoy the world'.
As Christians we do not worship God so we can satisfy earthly lusts - we worship him so we can have joy in him.
Continue Book 15 by reading Chapters 12 to 19.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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