Class 2:History as Theology

Dr. Ann T. OrlandoSept. 4, 2013

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Outline

Providence History as the unfolding of

Providence in creation; space and time

Our guide: St. Augustine of Hippo, The City of God

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God’s Providence

Providence: a Stoic term Stoicism

Most important Greek philosophy for early Christians

Begun by Zeno in opposition to Epicureans

Philosophy the handmaid of theology Philo of Alexandria (1st C AD), Jewish Stoic

philosopher

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Epicureans Epicurus (Athens, 4th C BC) begins with the theodicy question

Answer: God or gods are uninterested in created world No life after death Happiness (tranquility) and Ethics based on achieving pleasure and

avoiding pain Passions subordinated to intellect Encouraged celibacy; sex too emotionally messy, does not lead to happiness

Women encouraged to join as full members of schools Friends more important than family; but self-reliance most important Free will; not bound by ties of family or duty Science and technology very important; based on random motion of atoms Justice based upon contractual agreements Opposed to allegory and prophecy as a way of knowing Favored philosophy of intellectual Romans who wanted to withdraw from

society Roundly condemned by all other philosophies; rabbinic word for atheist is

derived from Epicurus Human history has no particular meaning ‘God is dead, history is dead’; no such thing as Providence

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Stoicism Happiness is following the will of God (Providence) God is everywhere, God as logos (rational necessity);

God as a type of gas that permeates everything His Providence rules everything (see Acts 17:28) Ethics based on following God’s plan;

Minimal free will; Emphasis on virtues; Judgment by God after death

Justice based on natural law as part of Providence’s eternal law Passions are to be subordinated to intellect

Encouraged celibacy; sex too emotionally messy Allegorical interpretation of Greek myths Dominant philosophy of Roman Empire Human history is story of God’s Providence in human society

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History as part of Theology History has several layers 1. Facts of what happened when

Jesus of Nazareth crucified c. 33 AD 2. Proximate causes

Roman imperial concerns about Jewish insurgents Jewish priestly class (Sadducees) concern about renegade

Jewish sects upsetting their relation with Romans 3. Secular historical result

New religion 4. Providence

Salvation for mankind Secular historians are generally concerned with 1 and

2, maybe 3. We are concerned with 1-4

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Why Did Man Need Saving? In the beginning…of human history Genesis

Creation, Adam and Eve Fall; original sin Cain and Abel Noah Abraham, Isaac Jacob, Joseph

How to interpret this and subsequent events in salvation history

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Our Guide in First Part of Course: Augustine of Hippo

The greatest western Christain theologian

First to think deeply and systematically about Christian history Providence Plan of salvation in history

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Brief Biographical Sketch

Born near Carthage in 354 to a devoutly Catholic mother (St. Monica) and worldly father (Patrick)

In youth leads a life of pleasure searching for happiness Flirts with Manichaeism (11 years) Becomes enamored with Platonism (really neoPlatonism)

Conversion to Catholic Christianity and is baptized Ordained priest 391, bishop of Hippo 395 Died on 28 August 430 (now celebrated as his feast day) Peter Brown’s book Augustine of Hippo remains the most

important biography of Augustine in English Be sure to get the New Edition with Epilogue Discusses discovery of 12 previously unstudied letters

and sermons of Augustine (396-404)

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Political and Military Situation At beginning of 4th Century, Empire united

under Diocletian and Constantine Throughout 4th Century civil wars among

Constantine’s sons and successors Theodosius the Great reunites the Empire

Last Emperor of ‘entire’ Roman Empire Barbarian invasions begin in West late 4th C,

key moment is sack of Rome in 410 Empire become divided East (capital,

Constantinople) and West (capital, Rome and Milan)

Western Roman Empire ceases to exist 476 Eastern Roman Empire ceased to exist 1453

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The Sack of Rome

Sack of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge psychological impact

The Goths sacking Rome were Arian Christians “My voice sticks in my throat, and as I dictate, sobs choke

my utterance. The City which had taken the whole world, was itself taken.” St. Jerome

Augustine dies as the Vandals (Arians) are besieging Hippo Vandal conquest of North Africa leads to destruction of

Donatists City of God against the Pagans

Augustine’s efforts to explain history and refute criticism of Christianity

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AugustineOver-Arching View of Church

Man as a naturally social, not political being Love, not justice the dominant virtue in the good

society Before the Fall, there was no hierarchy of dominance;

slavery is a result of sin Mixed good and bad (wheat and tares) in Church Church mixed with society (city of man) Church as the City of God

Exists as a pilgrim traveling throughout human history (time)

Exists permanently in eternity

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Augustine: What is the Church When did it begin: with Abel

Cain founder of city of man Abel, first member of City of God

Noah’s ark as the City of God Holy man is a shepherd, not a king The Church can be said to begin in

the OT due to the action of the Holy Spirit

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Augustine: Pilgrim People People of God, the Church, are not members of city of

man Sojoiners (like Abel) That is, Pilgrims

Pilgrimage as a way of life For individuals For Church

Social enterprise We travel together We support each other

Everyone belongs to one of two cities City of God, the Church, on pilgrimage City of this world

CoG I

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Translations of City of God

Marcus Dods, Modern Library (1886)

Henry Bettenson, Penguin (1943) R. W. Dyson, Cambridge (1998) William Babcock, New City Press, 2

vol. (2013)

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Assignment

CoG I.1, XIV.25-28 Hitchcock, Ch. 1

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