Augustine on the City of God and the City of the World: A Preliminary Study of Augustine's Political Philosophy

Abstract

Augustine's philosophy can be understood in two ways, namely love and justice. Love occupies a very important place in Augustine's thought. Love will determine what kind of city people are in, and love is more important than justice, so love and justice build two cities. The city of God composed of love and justice and the city of the world composed of love and injustice. The City of God represents an ideal society of high faith, spirituality and morality. The people of this city strive for the best, are guided by God's law, and their actions are guided by moral values. In the City of God, individual desires are constrained by virtue and devotion, and people pursue the happiness and harmony of the whole at the expense of individual interests. By contrast, secular cities represent secular interests, desires, and utilitarian societies. The residents in this city are more in pursuit of individual desire satisfaction and material benefits. They are driven by secular values and practical factors, and often ignore moral and ethical considerations in the pursuit of personal gain.