Augustine Quote by Vincent Carroll
““Augustine countered with the long view: Empires rise and fall in the natural order of things, but the church's mission stands apart from any passing secular institution. Because the true church endures, it is government's duty to take instruction from religion, not the other way around. This view could reinforce arrogance and absolutism in the church, and eventually it did. Yet Augustine's political theory also provided a basis for ideals of human freedom and individual rights.””
About This Quote
Source Article: "Augustine's Political Thought" in Journal of Historical Theology, 2020
He outlines Augustine's view that the church's enduring mission should guide government, noting both its potential for tyranny and its role in fostering freedom.
In simple terms: Church should guide state, but risk of arrogance.
Key Takeaway
Balance church influence with secular freedom.
Themes
politics
religion
freedom
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- church-state relations
- human rights advocacy
Key Concepts
theology
political theory
human rights
Questions to Reflect On
- Can religious authority coexist with democratic values?
- What safeguards prevent religious arrogance?
A Different Perspective
May ignore pluralistic societies.
![“Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. I summon Aquinas, Augustine, Paul [of Tarsus], Teresa of Avila, Joseph Ratzinger, and Edith Stein-in all their intellectual rigor-as allies in the the struggle against this dismissive atheism.” quote by Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/86d/robert-barron-13186_allies_again-i-hear-almost-everyday-from-atheis_35728.jpg)
