Augustine the Preacher and the Judgment of God
Although the judgment of God is a dominant theme in Augustine’s Sermones ad populum, it has not yet been studied effectively. The problem is that modern scholarship strives to relate the judgment of God to other aspects of Christian teaching, or to understand its place in Augustine’s own thought, without consideration of its relevance for the life of the individual members of the Christian community. Not enough has been said about Augustine’s concrete exposition and application of this teaching, that is, his efforts to bring the judgment of God to bear on individual behaviors, and thereby to establish a dynamic link between personal life experience and ultimate human destiny. This study provides a comprehensive overview of Augustine’s homiletic application of the various teachings that are associated with divine judgment. These include original sin; divine mercy and justice; God’s activity in the world; his desire for the salvation of sinners; the incomprehensibility of divine election; the need for faith, love, and repentance to be saved; divine displeasure with sins and approval of works of charity; the divinely appointed means for receiving the forgiveness of sins in the one true Church; God’s judgment on those who unworthily partake in Christian sacraments and rituals; the mixture and separation of the good and the bad; various elements of the last judgment of Christ; and the timing of the last day. All of this amounts to what God has revealed in scripture and commanded his bishops to preach concerning the path of salvation. This is a contextualized study of the sermons, in which Augustine is portrayed as more than a thinker or a theologian. He is also a bishop, a shepherd of souls and a watchman over his flock, ever vigilant against the real dangers – both internal and external – that jeopardize the eternal welfare of his people. The same teachings are therefore applied differently in different sermons, which are distinct in their time, place, and audience. The content and style of Augustine’s preaching depends on his perception of what his listeners most need to hear.
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