By: Michael Simmons on September 16, 2021
St. Augustine’s work in The City of God is nearly too much to take in, even if captured through a panoramic lens. He seems to nearly take on the entire Roman empire and, by extension, the entire Western struggle to integrate the secular and profane, the church and state. I’m struck by his ability to think…
By: Eric Basye on September 16, 2021
Since first entering seminary and learning about the great philosopher St. Augustine, The City of God had been on my reading list. Whether it was due to the sheer number of pages or the complexity of his writing, twenty years passed before I first tackled this book earlier this summer. Little did I know at…
By: Nicole Richardson on September 16, 2021
Original Sin. Lots of sin or sin in moderation; how one understands it (or not) and applies it to humanity (or not) is at the heart of Alan Ryan’s interpretation of Augustine’s “City of God”. Ryan’s undergirding focus in his book “On Augustine” is tethered to Augustine’s theology as it effects his views of…
By: Henry Gwani on September 16, 2021
The Two Cities may be classified as an in-depth theological reflection on citizenship and allegiances. Augustine provides two pertinent Biblical alternatives: the “heavenly city,” which is eternal and the ultimate goal of every true child of God; and the “earthly city,” which may provide some appeal and comfort, but alas, is temporary. In my opinion…
By: Troy Rappold on September 16, 2021
Without question, Augustine’s, City of God belongs in the ranks with Eusebius’, Ecclesiastical History, Thomas Aquinas’, Summa Theologiae, and John Calvin’s, Institutes of the Christian Religion. Whew. . . it takes a bit of effort just to type that sentence, much less read those weighty and magisterial works. Happily, Alan Ryan distilled Augustine’s tome into…
By: Roy Gruber on September 16, 2021
In an age of disruption, how can followers of Jesus respond in ways that exert influence toward relationship, reconciliation, and faith? Augustine authored “The City of God” at a time with numerous similarities to our own. Political, social, and theological turmoil raged, with accusations leveled at Christians for many of the ills of that day.…
By: Jonathan Lee on September 16, 2021
The City of God by Saint Augustine is one of his many influential writings that impacted Western philosophy and theology. Even though Augustine’s writings are over 1500 years old, the theology and exegesis still affect every seminary and theologian worldwide. The complex and sensitive issues discussed throughout the book are the same issues that Christians…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on September 15, 2021
Not having entered this doctoral program though the more traditional route of seminary, I was not familiar with Augustine or his works until the readings this week. Philosophy also not being a subject that I would consider comes naturally to me, I found myself overwhelmed by the complexities of his thought at times. For me,…
By: Andy Hale on September 14, 2021
Augustine’s writings hold a powerful influence on the theology and bureaucracy of the Western Church to this day. In his works, City of God and The Two Cities, we can trace the theological influence of his doctrine of original sin, the outline of his Neoplatonic philosophy, and his beliefs about the connection between religion and politics. Ultimately, Augustine…
By: Mary Kamau on September 13, 2021
For those that have worked with me and know how busy I am, it was not easy for them to imagine me in a doctoral program. I generally do not have time to read other books besides the bible. From my enneagram results and a good understanding of my personality, I tend to be impatient,…
By: Elmarie Parker on September 12, 2021
Dr. Clark encouraged me to share some of my reflections as I accompany with my dad in whatever remaining days the Lord may grant us with dad’s presence (this is why I haven’t blogged on this week’s reading). A week ago, Pappy was moved to hospice status. His kidneys are failing. Mom and I had…
By: Henry Gwani on September 10, 2021
Washington: The Making of the American Capital may be described as a narrative nonfiction about the political struggle of choosing and developing Washington DC as the capital of America. Unlike the bustling world-class city that it is today, Bordewich reveals how the US capital used to be an undesirable collection of farms and swamps that…
By: Eric Basye on September 9, 2021
There were two people that I knew personally in my hometown growing up that were African American. One, a Physicians Assistant, married to a white woman; and the other, a fellow student in my class. Beyond these two individuals, everyone in the small mountain town of Wyoming I called home was white like me. I…
By: Jonathan Lee on September 9, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book. I can’t believe I read through it from beginning to end in one sitting. As I read through this book, I asked myself, ‘Why am I enjoying this book so much?’ One factor might be the author’s clear and organized writing style which allowed me to be more engaged with…
By: Denise Johnson on September 9, 2021
This follower of Jesus would love to wholeheartedly say that I am completely free of all racism, prejudice, bias but I know that would be a denial of the process to being more Christlike. As I reflect on my own journey from innocence to maturity, in relationship to the founding of the United States and…
By: Henry Gwani on September 9, 2021
Broadly speaking, Shame is a critical review of the hypocrisies that have characterized American liberalism since the 1960s and their damaging impact upon minority, particularly black, advancement. Steele argues that at the root of this long-standing and widespread problem is white paternalism, which is a false response to the sins of racism, sexism, militarism, and…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on September 9, 2021
I found Steele’s Shame to be a thoughtful critical analysis of America, our political systems, and the forces at play that are competing for power and control. His explanation of the new liberalisms ‘poetic truth’ and its impact on society and specifically minority populations describe the ongoing barriers that have allowed disenfranchised people groups to…
By: Roy Gruber on September 9, 2021
No one denies the palpable political polarization in America today. The questions “how did we get here?” and “how do we move forward well?” present a challenge not as easily understood as the present reality. In “Shame,” Shelby Steele lays the blame of how we got here squarely upon the new liberalism that emerged…
By: Troy Rappold on September 9, 2021
In his book entitled “Shame”, Shelby Steele gives us a conservative viewpoint about white guilt in America, persistent racism, and the failure of liberal ideals to solve these and many others social-economic problems of the past sixty years. Before I read the book, I didn’t know it was written by a conservative–the title made me…
By: Michael Simmons on September 9, 2021
I conducted my analytical reading of Steele on a flight from Portland, Oregon to Knoxville, Tennessee. His words were a primer for reentry into my hometown and back to the narratives and ideology I rarely hear first hand. I appreciate Steele’s historical perspective and the clarity and sarcasm he employs to make his case. I…
