1. Class 2: History as Theology Dr. Ann T. Orlando Sept. 4, 2013 1

2. Outline Providence History as the unfolding of Providence in creation; space and time Our guide: St. Augustine of Hippo, The City of God 2

3. God’s Providence Providence: a Stoic term Stoicism Most important Greek philosophy for early Christians Begun by Zeno in opposition to Epicureans Philosophy the handmaid of theology Philo of Alexandria (1 st C AD), Jewish Stoic philosopher 3

4. Epicureans Epicurus (Athens, 4 th C BC) begins with the theodicy question Answer: God or gods are uninterested in created world No life after death Happiness (tranquility) and Ethics based on achieving pleasure and avoiding pain Passions subordinated to intellect Encouraged celibacy; sex too emotionally messy, does not lead to happiness Women encouraged to join as full members of schools Friends more important than family; but self-reliance most important Free will; not bound by ties of family or duty Science and technology very important; based on random motion of atoms Justice based upon contractual agreements Opposed to allegory and prophecy as a way of knowing Favored philosophy of intellectual Romans who wanted to withdraw from society Roundly condemned by all other philosophies; rabbinic word for atheist is derived from Epicurus Human history has no particular meaning ‘God is dead, history is dead’; no such thing as Providence 4

5. Stoicism Happiness is following the will of God (Providence) God is everywhere, God as logos (rational necessity); God as a type of gas that permeates everything His Providence rules everything (see Acts 17:28) Ethics based on following God’s plan; Minimal free will; Emphasis on virtues; Judgment by God after death Justice based on natural law as part of Providence’s eternal law Passions are to be subordinated to intellect Encouraged celibacy; sex too emotionally messy Allegorical interpretation of Greek myths Dominant philosophy of Roman Empire Human history is story of God’s Providence in human society 5

6. History as part of Theology History has several layers 1. Facts of what happened when Jesus of Nazareth crucified c. 33 AD 2. Proximate causes Roman imperial concerns about Jewish insurgents Jewish priestly class (Sadducees) concern about renegade Jewish sects upsetting their relation with Romans 3. Secular historical result New religion 4. Providence Salvation for mankind Secular historians are generally concerned with 1 and 2, maybe 3. We are concerned with 1-4 6

7. Why Did Man Need Saving? In the beginning…of human history Genesis Creation, Adam and Eve Fall; original sin Cain and Abel Noah Abraham, Isaac Jacob, Joseph How to interpret this and subsequent events in salvation history 7

8. Our Guide in First Part of Course: Augustine of Hippo The greatest western Christain theologian First to think deeply and systematically about Christian history Providence Plan of salvation in history 8

9. Brief Biographical Sketch Born near Carthage in 354 to a devoutly Catholic mother (St. Monica) and worldly father (Patrick) In youth leads a life of pleasure searching for happiness Flirts with Manichaeism (11 years) Becomes enamored with Platonism (really neoPlatonism) Conversion to Catholic Christianity and is baptized Ordained priest 391, bishop of Hippo 395 Died on 28 August 430 (now celebrated as his feast day) Peter Brown’s book Augustine of Hippo remains the most important biography of Augustine in English Be sure to get the New Edition with Epilogue Discusses discovery of 12 previously unstudied letters and sermons of Augustine (396-404) 9

10. Political and Military Situation At beginning of 4 th Century, Empire united under Diocletian and Constantine Throughout 4 th Century civil wars among Constantine’s sons and successors Theodosius the Great reunites the Empire Last Emperor of ‘entire’ Roman Empire Barbarian invasions begin in West late 4 th C, key moment is sack of Rome in 410 Empire become divided East (capital, Constantinople) and West (capital, Rome and Milan) Western Roman Empire ceases to exist 476 Eastern Roman Empire ceased to exist 1453 10

11. The Sack of Rome Sack of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge psychological impact The Goths sacking Rome were Arian Christians “My voice sticks in my throat, and as I dictate, sobs choke my utterance. The City which had taken the whole world, was itself taken.” St. Jerome Augustine dies as the Vandals (Arians) are besieging Hippo Vandal conquest of North Africa leads to destruction of Donatists City of God against the Pagans Augustine’s efforts to explain history and refute criticism of Christianity 11

12. Augustine Over-Arching View of Church Man as a naturally social, not political being Love, not justice the dominant virtue in the good society Before the Fall, there was no hierarchy of dominance; slavery is a result of sin Mixed good and bad (wheat and tares) in Church Church mixed with society (city of man) Church as the City of God Exists as a pilgrim traveling throughout human history (time) Exists permanently in eternity 12

13. Augustine: What is the Church When did it begin: with Abel Cain founder of city of man Abel, first member of City of God Noah’s ark as the City of God Holy man is a shepherd, not a king The Church can be said to begin in the OT due to the action of the Holy Spirit 13

14. Augustine: Pilgrim People People of God, the Church, are not members of city of man Sojoiners (like Abel) That is, Pilgrims Pilgrimage as a way of life For individuals For Church Social enterprise We travel together We support each other Everyone belongs to one of two cities City of God, the Church, on pilgrimage City of this world CoG I 14

15. Translations of City of God Marcus Dods, Modern Library (1886) Henry Bettenson, Penguin (1943) R. W. Dyson, Cambridge (1998) William Babcock, New City Press, 2 vol. (2013) 15

16. Assignment CoG I.1, XIV.25-28 Hitchcock, Ch. 1 16