Augustine’s Introduction to Political Philosophy: Teaching De Libero Arbitrio, Book I
Journal Title: Religions - Year 2015, Vol 6, Issue 1
Abstract
Book I of Augustine’s work On Free Choice (De Libero Arbitrio) offers a helpful introduction to some of the most important themes of political philosophy. The paper makes a case for teaching this text in introductory courses on political thought, theology of social life, and similar topics, alongside or even in place of the more usually assigned excerpts from City of God. The text is written as a dialogue in which Augustine seeks to introduce a student of his to reflection on the ways in which our moral outlook is profoundly shaped by our political citizenship. It invites all of us, whether Christian or non-Christian citizens, to enter into the dialogue ourselves as Augustine’s students and so to reflect on the moral significance of our own citizenship.
Authors and Affiliations
Daniel E. Burns
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP25413
- DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/rel6010082
- Views 339
- Downloads 10
Faith and Freedom: The Qur’anic Notion of Freedom of Religion vs. the Act of Changing Religion and Thoughts on the Implications for Malaysia
The issue of freedom of religion has always been situated at the intersection between human rights, personal freedom of choice, religious belief and apostasy. While freedom supporters argue that one is free to choose h...
Does Religiosity Predict Suicidal Behavior?
Research was reviewed on whether self-report measures of religiosity were a protective factor against suicidal behaviors. It was found that scores on Francis’s measure of religiosity was negatively associated with non-...
Spiritual Exemplars: An Introduction
This essay introduces the special issue, provides criteria for evaluating spiritual exemplars, presents a case study to illustrate how spiritual exemplars can extend our knowledge of spiritual development, and makes im...
Conceptual Pathways to Ethnic Transcendence in Diverse Churches: Theoretical Reflections on the Achievement of Successfully Integrated Congregations
The concept of ethnic transcendence—defined as the process of co-formulating a shared religious identity among diverse members that supersedes their racial and ethnic differences through congregational involvement—capt...
Music and Spirituality—Introduction
Across time and geography people have known the power of music for evoking the gods and acquiring spiritual insight. Whether arising as a textless chant by a single voice or a percussive auditory event for ritual dance...