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The Fall of Rome Podcast

22: The Brilliance of Saint Augustine. An Interview with Elizabeth Bruenig

Jun 15, 2017
Elizabeth Bruenig, Editor at the Washington Post, discusses the life, thought, and relevance of Saint Augustine. Topics covered include his influence on Christian theology and Western culture, his brilliance in capturing the human experience, his controversies and conflicts, his theory on church and state, and his response to blaming Christianity for Rome's fall.
42:34

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Quick takeaways

  • Augustine's theories on introspection and reading deeply shaped the way we understand our internal lives and the impact they have on our reasoning and actions.
  • Augustine argued that Rome's fall was not due to Christianity, but rather the transient nature of earthly civilizations, emphasizing that true glory is achieved through love of God and the pursuit of eternal life, not through worldly achievements.

Deep dives

Augustine's Significance in Christianity

Augustine is a foundational figure in Western Christianity and a prominent church doctor. His theological works hold influence in both Catholic and Protestant traditions. Augustine's theories on introspection and reading deeply shaped the way we understand our internal lives and the impact they have on our reasoning and actions. His theory of grace and original sin formed the basis of Catholic doctrine, emphasizing the need for divine intervention and the insufficiency of human efforts for salvation. Augustine's writing on these topics played a crucial role in the development of Christian thought and the Protestant Reformation.

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