The Nature of Political Affair in Augustine’s City of God
Subject Areas : Research in Theoritical PoliticsKeywords: political affair social affair city of God Augustine Nature,
Abstract :
This article tries to cast a new light on the political implications of Saint Augustine’s City of God. Considering Peter Burnell views as in his “the status of politics in St. Augustine’s city of god”, we will show that in Augustine’s theology there is no room to discuss “politics” as an autonomous subject. For him, politics is a matter of worldly and post Descent status. At best, politics in can be a means of maintaining peace and security at this temporal world, and as an abode for the pilgrims of “the City of God”. Though man is naturally considered as a “social being” in Augustine’s thought, he believes this feature has been faded at the result of “politicalization” which has been imposed on him by his post Descent condition. So Augustine, completely detaching from Greek tradition of political philosophy and denying of civic relations, depicts his own city of God in non-corporeal utopia.