Anyone read The City of God by Saint Augustine?

[theCardinalbird]

What did you think of it?

 

[DaveBj]

It was a tough grind. There is some advice floating around as to which chapters to read before reading other chapters, and if I were to read it again, I think I would take that advice.

D

 

[AveOTheotokos]

Not yet, but it’s on my list. I just finished his Confessions earlier this year and loved it. I highly recommend the Frank Sheed translation.

 

[Entwhistler]

I’ve read parts of it and as DaveBj said, it’s a tough grind. There are some fascinating stuff in there for sure if you can navigate it.

 

[midori]

I sat down to read it.

Then the Preface told me, “Go read the Confessions first.”

So I put it back on the shelf, put the Confessions in my to-read pile, and haven’t been back since.

I think it’s been three years now. Maybe four.

 

[theCardinalbird]

So I should first start with his confessions?

 

[midori]

Sparknotes sez “Confessions is a theology of self, and City of God is a theology of history.”

Poking around, it looks like out of people who have read both, they generally recommend getting the human-interest-ness of Cofessions out of the way first, so that you get used to his writing style, and gets you in a better position to tackle the meat and potatoes of City of God. Although (according to those who have read them), both can be the sort of thing you read slowly, and with a highlighter.

 

[BartholomewB]

So I should first start with his confessions?

Yes, definitely. Augustine’s Confessions is (are?) a must-read for every Christian. The City of God is important, too, but not essential.
IMHO.