--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Saint Augustine proliferated central…" description: "\"“Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and political doctrines of the Church, following Saint Paul closely. History is the scene of the stru..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg" --- # Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and… ![“Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and political doctrines of the Church, following Saint Paul closely. History is the scene of the struggle between the Heavenly and Earthly Cities, but only God before the Last Judgment knows the membership rolls. Human nature is so sinful…” quote by Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg) > ““Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and political doctrines of the Church, following Saint Paul closely. History is the scene of the struggle between the Heavenly and Earthly Cities, but only God before the Last Judgment knows the membership rolls. Human nature is so sinful (rebellious and corrupt) that only those who have received grace, i.e., have been chosen by God to love Him, can be saved for eternal life. This theory caused a lot of trouble for the medieval church, which by and large abandoned it. It was revived much later by Martin Luther. "By the early fifth century, at a series of church councils, the Christians had hammered out a compromise theory of the Trinity -- God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Church) -- more or less of one substance but with three personalities. Those who would not accept this compromise were branded as heretics and sooner or later persecuted by the imperial state.”” [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes theological debates on the Trinity, heresy, and church politics, noting later Reformation impacts. **In simple terms:** Explains medieval theological conflicts and their later revival. Key Takeaway Understand historical religious conflicts and their legacy. Themes theology history conflict Mood analytical historical Type educational scholarly When to use this quote - academic study - religious education - interfaith dialogue - cultural analysis Key Concepts church doctrine political power Questions to Reflect On - How did these debates shape modern faith? - What lessons apply to today’s religious tolerance? A Different Perspective Complex doctrines can be misinterpreted over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine/) [Chosen by god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chosen-by-god/) [Eternal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-life/) [God The Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-the-father/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sooner or later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sooner-or-later/) ## Related quotes > [The first reason for the preponderant influence of those Evangelicals who define themselves as advocates of Religious Right theological and political ideologies is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/the-first-reason-for-the-preponderant-influence-of-those-evangelicals/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [But I make a distinction between the doctrines of the Church, which matter, and the structure invented by half a dozen Italians who got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-devlin/but-i-make-a-distinction-between-the-doctrines-of-the-church-which/) [Bernadette Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-devlin/) > [It is an absurd fiction that the churches are useful. They are nothing more than propaganda centers for superstitious faiths and doctrines. Church members…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-haldeman-julius/it-is-an-absurd-fiction-that-the-churches-are-useful-they-are-nothing/) [E. Haldeman-Julius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-haldeman-julius/) > [The saving principles and doctrines of the Church are established, fixed, and unchangeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/the-saving-principles-and-doctrines-of-the-church-are-established/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [The early doctrines of the church, even doctrines like Trinity and Incarnation were originally also calls for action, calls for selflessness, calls for compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/the-early-doctrines-of-the-church-even-doctrines-like-trinity-and/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Tyrants and dictators will accept no other gods before them. They require disobedience to the First Commandment. They seek absolute control and are threatened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/tyrants-and-dictators-will-accept-no-other-gods-before-them-they/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“The enemy came to steal,kill and destroy our hero Steve Biko. He was chosen by God and no one can deny that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/the-enemy-came-to-steal-kill-and-destroy-our-hero-steve-biko-he-was/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [I have been chosen by God Almighty to be one of his messengers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/i-have-been-chosen-by-god-almighty-to-be-one-of-his-messengers/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) > [“The doctrine of creation of the kind that the Abrahamic faiths profess is such that it encourages the expectation that there will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polkinghorne/the-doctrine-of-creation-of-the-kind-that-the-abrahamic-faiths/) [John Polkinghorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polkinghorne/) > [“it turns out we were some people which has been chosen by God to be happy in a different way # beggars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ys-sroyer/it-turns-out-we-were-some-people-which-has-been-chosen-by-god-to-be/) [ys sroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ys-sroyer/) > [“Romans 1 Greetings from Paul This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/romans-1-greetings-from-paul-this-letter-is-from-paul-a-slave-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The artist is chosen by God to fulfill his commands and must never be overwhelmed by public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/the-artist-is-chosen-by-god-to-fulfill-his-commands-and-must-never-be/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [The Democrats and the mainstream media shouldn't be so quick to mock White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders for suggesting that President Trump was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/the-democrats-and-the-mainstream-media-shouldn-t-be-so-quick-to-mock/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [If I woke up every day attempting to be my father, I would fail miserably. I think he was anointed. He was chosen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/if-i-woke-up-every-day-attempting-to-be-my-father-i-would-fail/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Pope Benedict delivered an anti-euthanasia message this week, saying that people must accept death at 'the hour chosen by God.' And then he rode…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-meyers/pope-benedict-delivered-an-anti-euthanasia-message-this-week-saying/) [Seth Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-meyers/) ## More by Norman F. Cantor > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“A very long time ago, some 2.5 million years B.C., the mother of human species as we know it, our ultimate ancestor, appeared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/a-very-long-time-ago-some-2-5-million-years-b-c-the-mother-of-human/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“Saint Paul was proud of his Roman citizenship, and his letter to various Christian communities in the empire presupposed an effective communications system that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/saint-paul-was-proud-of-his-roman-citizenship-and-his-letter-to/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“In the field of medicine, Galen, the Alexandrian scientist, propounded a view that is still around, nowadays called 'alternative medicine.'It was taught in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/in-the-field-of-medicine-galen-the-alexandrian-scientist-propounded-a/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“There was some kind of cultural cause for the decline of the ancient world. It was neither corruption of public spirit nor Christianity. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/there-was-some-kind-of-cultural-cause-for-the-decline-of-the-ancient/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The only clear expression of intellectual dissent from hydraulic despotism occurred in the southern half of the coastal lands of the eastern Mediterranean, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-only-clear-expression-of-intellectual-dissent-from-hydraulic/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The German economic historian Fanz Oertel in the 1950s points to another drastic consequence of a slave economy. A slave economy initially allowed an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-german-economic-historian-fanz-oertel-in-the-1950s-points-to/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The classical heritage as shaped by and filtered through Roman culture had two great flaws. First, it prevented the very rich oral cultures of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-classical-heritage-as-shaped-by-and-filtered-through-roman/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The Gnostics (also called Manichees) postulated that there were two gods -- the Christian God of goodness and light, and an evil anti-God of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-gnostics-also-called-manichees-postulated-that-there-were-two/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“There is no doubt that to the ancients of circa 100 A.S., games implied bloodshed; but gladiators' hand-to-hand combats to the death featured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/there-is-no-doubt-that-to-the-ancients-of-circa-100-a-s-games-implied/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“Christian legend later claimed that Peter also went to Rome and there became head of the Christian community, that is, a bishop. Both Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/christian-legend-later-claimed-that-peter-also-went-to-rome-and-there/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [ “In response to \[the Philistine\] threat \[in the ninth century B.C.\], the Hebrews could no longer rely on the leadership of 'judges,' ad hoc… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/in-response-to-the-philistine-threat-in-the-ninth-century-b-c-the/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“Because the Egyptians had no feeling that events of the moment were transitory, they viewed the present as eternal. The world was static; what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/because-the-egyptians-had-no-feeling-that-events-of-the-moment-were/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“While many Greeks (although not Thucydides) thought that history moved in circles, repeating itself infinitely, the Jewish idea that each event was singular and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/while-many-greeks-although-not-thucydides-thought-that-history-moved/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“The end of Egypt's isolation turned what had been only occasional and incidental contact with the rest of the Near East into a constant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-end-of-egypt-s-isolation-turned-what-had-been-only-occasional-and/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) [Explore all 44 Norman F. Cantor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) ## More Augustine quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. I summon Aquinas, Augustine, Paul \[of Tarsus\], Teresa of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/again-i-hear-almost-everyday-from-atheists-who-write-off-religion-as/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [There's a huge amount of work on Adam and Eve, from the ancient world to the present. Saint Augustine was obsessed with them.I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/there-s-a-huge-amount-of-work-on-adam-and-eve-from-the-ancient-world/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [Patience is the companion of wisdom. --Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/patience-is-the-companion-of-wisdom-saint-augustine/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [People are mostly sane enough, of course, in the affairs of common life: the getting of food, shelter, and so on. But the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stove/people-are-mostly-sane-enough-of-course-in-the-affairs-of-common-life/) [David Stove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stove/) > [“I have become an enigma to myself. So said Saint Augustine. And herein lies my sickness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-have-become-an-enigma-to-myself-so-said-saint-augustine-and-herein/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Augustine says that we may, out of our dead sins, make stepping stones to rise to the heights of perfection. What did he mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stalker/augustine-says-that-we-may-out-of-our-dead-sins-make-stepping-stones/) [James Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stalker/) > [St. Augustine teaches us that there is in each man a Serpent, an Eve, and an Adam. Our senses and natural propensities are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/st-augustine-teaches-us-that-there-is-in-each-man-a-serpent-an-eve/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“St. Augustine wrote something once, something I think about often,” he said. “ ‘God triumphs on the ruins of our plans.’ And maybe that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/st-augustine-wrote-something-once-something-i-think-about-often-he/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [The earliest religious texts in the West ascribe to humankind both a prehistory and a destiny among the gods. M. David Litwa presents a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terryl-l-givens/the-earliest-religious-texts-in-the-west-ascribe-to-humankind-both-a/) [Terryl L. Givens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terryl-l-givens/) > [One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-has-not-only-a-legal-but-a-moral-responsibility-to-obey-just-laws/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Is it not lack of faith that leads men to fear the scrutiny of reason? If the destination is doubtful, then the path must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-woolfolk-cross/is-it-not-lack-of-faith-that-leads-men-to-fear-the-scrutiny-of-reason/) [Donna Woolfolk Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-woolfolk-cross/) > [For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people. Gays and lesbians stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/for-many-years-now-i-have-been-an-outspoken-supporter-of-civil-and/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [St. Augustine explicitly warns against a very narrow perspective that will put our faith at risk of looking ridiculous. If you step back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/st-augustine-explicitly-warns-against-a-very-narrow-perspective-that/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The fact is that philosophy has been a decisive source of inspiration in all the great crises that Europe has faced. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-esposito/the-fact-is-that-philosophy-has-been-a-decisive-source-of-inspiration/) [Roberto Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-esposito/) [Browse all 115 Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and political doctrines of the Church, following Saint Paul closely. History is the scene of the struggle between the Heavenly and Earthly Cities, but only God before the Last Judgment knows the membership rolls. Human nature is so sinful (rebellious and corrupt) that only those who have received grace, i.e., have been chosen by God to love Him, can be saved for eternal life. This theory caused a lot of trouble for the medieval church, which by and large abandoned it. It was revived much later by Martin Luther. \"By the early fifth century, at a series of church councils, the Christians had hammered out a compromise theory of the Trinity -- God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Church) -- more or less of one substance but with three personalities. Those who would not accept this compromise were branded as heretics and sooner or later persecuted by the imperial state.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman F. Cantor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/saint-augustine-proliferated-central-theological-and-political/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Augustine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/saint-augustine-proliferated-central-theological-and-political/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d5/norman-f-cantor-15048_augustine_saint-augustine-proliferated-central-the_2946768.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and political doctrines of the Church, following Saint Paul…” — Norman F. Cantor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Norman F. Cantor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Saint Augustine proliferated central theological and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/saint-augustine-proliferated-central-theological-and-political/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/saint-augustine-proliferated-central-theological-and-political/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```