A Just War: St. Augustine’s Political philosophy
The sack of Rome by the Visigoths signified the fall of the Roman Empire, and the beginning of the dark ages. The dark ages represented a time of hardship, suffering, and warfare. Many individuals blamed the Christian church for the fall of Rome and the grief that followed thereafter. On the contrary, medieval philosopher and church scholar St. Augustine of Hippo defended the Christian faith in his book “The City of God.” In the novel he says the Roman Empire fell because it was not founded on the principals of peace and also that the idea war of self-defense is the only form of a just war that is acceptable. In fact, in his book, Augustine explains how the Roman Republic was created on virtuous grounds, but in its transition to an Empire it grew corrupt. Augustine acknowledges that most Christians hope to avoid war and the vices that follow, but there are certain situations where Christians must fight a just war. I support Augustine and his beliefs that a city will be destroyed if it is not founded on the virtue of peace, and if it utilizes war in other manners than self-defense.
Furthermore, Augustine believes all states are striving for peace, but seek it in different ways. For example, one state may seek peace through conquest, while another seeks peace through …show more content…
If one studies past states that lived through the accusation of others by force they all have one thing in common: they were destroyed by the same violence they inflicted on others. The Roman Empire, Napoleon’s France, Nazi Germany, among others were destroyed by the violence through the enemies they created. They all chose to ignore peace and virtue, and as a result they met a brutish end. History illustrates Augustine’s political philosophy repeatedly that states not founded on the virtue of peace and abuse the right of warfare will be
The sack of Rome by the Visigoths signified the fall of the Roman Empire, and the beginning of the dark ages. The dark ages represented a time of hardship, suffering, and warfare. Many individuals blamed the Christian church for the fall of Rome and the grief that followed thereafter. On the contrary, medieval philosopher and church scholar St. Augustine of Hippo defended the Christian faith in his book “The City of God.” In the novel he says the Roman Empire fell because it was not founded on the principals of peace and also that the idea war of self-defense is the only form of a just war that is acceptable. In fact, in his book, Augustine explains how the Roman Republic was created on virtuous grounds, but in its transition to an Empire it grew corrupt. Augustine acknowledges that most Christians hope to avoid war and the vices that follow, but there are certain situations where Christians must fight a just war. I support Augustine and his beliefs that a city will be destroyed if it is not founded on the virtue of peace, and if it utilizes war in other manners than self-defense.
Furthermore, Augustine believes all states are striving for peace, but seek it in different ways. For example, one state may seek peace through conquest, while another seeks peace through …show more content…
If one studies past states that lived through the accusation of others by force they all have one thing in common: they were destroyed by the same violence they inflicted on others. The Roman Empire, Napoleon’s France, Nazi Germany, among others were destroyed by the violence through the enemies they created. They all chose to ignore peace and virtue, and as a result they met a brutish end. History illustrates Augustine’s political philosophy repeatedly that states not founded on the virtue of peace and abuse the right of warfare will be