Authority Quote by Saint Augustine
“The same divine authority that forbids the killing of a human being establishes certain exceptions, as when God authorizes killing by a general law or when He gives an explicit commission to an individual for a limited time.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: City of God, Book 13, 426 AD
Divine law generally prohibits killing, but allows exceptions under higher authority or specific divine commands.
In simple terms: God forbids killing but permits it in special cases.
Key Takeaway
Recognize moral complexity in law and authority.
Themes
ethics
theology
law
authority
violence
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
theological
ethical
When to use this quote
- War
- self‑defense
- state execution
- executive orders
- religious missions
Key Concepts
Divine command theory
just war
moral relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- When is an exception truly justified?
- Who decides the legitimacy of a divine commission?
A Different Perspective
Such exceptions can be misused to justify unjust violence.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)