Christ and the Just Society in the Thought of Augustine

Book excerpt: Christ and the Just Society in the Thought of Augustine is a study of Augustine's political thought and ethics in relation to his theology. The book examines fundamental issues in Augustine's theological and political ethics in relation to the question, 'How did Augustine conceive the just society'? At the heart of the book's approach is the relationship that Augustine outlines in his City of God and other writings between Christ and those believers who acknowledge him to be the only source of the soul's virtue. The book demonstrates how Augustine sees Christ's grace and the scriptures contributing to the soul's growth in virtue, especially as these issues are framed by the Pelagian controversy. Finally, the implications which Augustine sees for Christ's mediation of virtue are examined in relation to his revision of the ancient concepts of heroism and the statesman.