Books That Matter: The City of God

Course Overview

Travel chapter by chapter through Augustine’s masterpiece, as an award-winning professor introduces you to the book’s key arguments, as well as the historical context necessary to comprehend The City of God‘s true power.

Course No. 6941

Augustine of Hippo’s masterpiece The City of God is one of the greatest books ever written, yet its size – nearly 1,000 pages – too often intimidates even serious readers. Composed after the sack of Rome in the 5th century, it takes you on an astounding historical and theological journey through the final years of the ancient world.

Professor Mathewes of the University of Virginia guides you through Augustine’s magnum opus, revealing how he wrestles with philosophy’s toughest challenges:

• The problem of evil
• Faith versus reason
• Fate versus free will
• The nature of God

Whether you approach this as a Christian, philosopher, historian, or literature lover, Augustine will transform how you think about politics, religion, history, and our relationship to the divine.

Video Lectures

01: Your Passport to The City of God (32 min)

Discover why Augustine wrote this monumental work and its enduring impact on our world today.

02: Who Was Augustine of Hippo? (33 min)

Explore the paradoxical life of this influential historical figure beyond common misconceptions.

03: The Sack of Rome, 410 A.D. (29 min)

Understand how this three-day event served as a catalyst for Augustine’s writing.

04: Augustine’s Pagan and Christian Audience (33 min)

Learn how Augustine co-opted Roman concepts of “city” and “glory” for his theological purpose.

05: The Problem of Suffering (Book 1) (30 min)

Examine Augustine’s therapeutic approach to evil, suffering, and suicide.

06: The Price of Empire (Books 2-3) (33 min)

Analyze Augustine’s critique of Roman morality and their quest for domination.

07: Augustine’s Political Vision (Book 4) (32 min)

Discover Augustine’s “political realism” that equates statesmen with gangsters.

08: Splendid Vices and Happiness in Hope (Book 5) (30 min)

Explore Augustine’s solution for pursuing happiness while being a good citizen.

09: Public Religion in Imperial Rome (Books 6-7) (33 min)

Study Augustine’s arguments aimed at Roman philosophers’ views of religion.

10: Who or What Is God? (Books 8-9) (32 min)

Compare Platonic and Augustinian conceptions of God’s nature.

11: Sacrifice and Ritual (Book 10) (29 min)

Learn Augustine’s blueprint for authentic religion beyond transactional sacrifices.

12: Augustine’s Critique of Rome (Books 1-10) (31 min)

Recap the first half’s apologetic arguments and transition to transformative theology.

13: Metaphysics of Creation and Evil (Book 11) (33 min)

Begin the second half exploring creation and God’s relationship to time.

14: Fall of the Rebel Angels (Book 12) (31 min)

Re-examine the problem of evil through Augustine’s account of angelic rebellion.

15: Augustine and Original Sin (Book 13) (32 min)

Analyze Augustine’s vision of humanity’s condition after the Fall.

16: The Two Cities and the Two Loves (Book 14) (33 min)

Understand Augustine’s famous dichotomy between earthly and heavenly cities.

17: Augustine’s Scriptural History (Books 15-17) (31 min)

Follow Augustine’s biblical history of the world and our place within it.

18: Translating the Imperium (Book 18) (32 min)

Consider how to transition from fallen earthly empires to the heavenly city.

19: Happiness and Politics (Book 19) (31 min)

Discover Augustine’s guidance for living in history’s “epilogue” before Judgment.

20: Judgments, Last and Otherwise (Book 20) (33 min)

Reflect on the meaning and purpose of the Last Judgment.

21: Augustine’s Vision of Hell (Book 21) (33 min)

Examine Augustine’s theology of eternal damnation and divine justice.

22: Heaven: The Self Redeemed (Book 22) (33 min)

Contrast Hell with Augustine’s vision of Heaven and final human fulfillment.

23: The City of God as a Single Book (30 min)

Step back to consider the work’s overarching themes and messages.

24: The City of God’s Journey through History (36 min)

Trace Augustine’s enduring influence from antiquity to our modern era.