Christianity According to St. Augustine and Machiavelli...

In St. Augustine’s book entitled Political Writings, one could see that Christianity plays a very important role in his view of politics. His opinion on the morality or lack of morality in politics, to me makes it more evident that Christianity persuades his views. Although it seems his writings have become quite well known and admired, not everyone fully shared his beliefs. Niccolo Machiavelli, for instance, seemed to believe in a government that was not driven by morality, but more by practicality. In, The Prince, Machiavelli stresses that the moral fibers of government should not be so soft. Like St. Augustine, his work went on to become one of the most famous books ever written about politics. Throughout the two works there are some†¦show more content†¦He felt as though that if the mind were virtuous, which consisted of living a good and noble life, it would command the body, and that the body would become holy through the exercise of holy will. For example, this idea of a holy body was used to determine the purity of a woman who had been raped, for instance if the woman is strong in mind but the body is overcome by force then the body remains holy. However, if the woman is pure but weak in mind and gives in, then body is no longer holy. Augustine also addresses some of the discrepancies some people had with the Old Testament, mainly the commandment that said that thou should not kill. He says that he who kills by order of another is not a killer, but is an aide. An example of this that he used was when Abraham sacrificed his son upon the altar by the order of God. In his work Augustine tells the Christians not to defy the enemies of the City of God because someday many will repent and become citizens of the city. Augustine is a very religious man, which causes his political theories to be somewhat, clouded by his stern beliefs of morality. Many of the pagans try to blame the rise of Christianity for the moral decline of the Roman citizens, however as Augustine points out the moral decline of Rome began before the coming of Christ. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Niccolo Machiavelli seemed to some people to be in favor of tyranny in some ways. HisShow MoreRelatedRizal Analysis2576 Words   |  11 Pagesproposals, such sinful ones! Alas! Alas! Domine quare deleriquiste eum? Oh, Lord, why didst thou forsake him? All the inmates of St. Augustine groaned, and all the friars were beating their breasts and scourging one another to do penance and to bring the soul of little Salvadorcito Tont to the right path. All this consternation in the convent of St. Augustine was heard in Madrid by telephone, and Salvadorcito Tont exclaimed with the simple air of a good boy: I wonder if they have imprisonedRead Morehistory of philosophy5031 Words   |  21 Pagesway of elaborating the rules of three subjects. Medieval philosophy[edit] Further information:  Medieval philosophy The history of western medieval philosophy is generally divided into two periods, early medieval philosophy, which started with  St. Augustine  in the mid 4th century and lasted until the recovery in the 13th century West of a great bulk of  Aristotles works and their subsequent translation into Latin from the Arabic and Greek, and high medieval philosophy, which came about as a resultRead MoreA World Lit Only by Fire Outline Essay8153 Words   |  33 Pages Rulers would often retaliate against those who did not show loyalty to the Church. a. Charlemagne gave the Saxon rebels the choice of baptism or execution. b. Many died under Constantine I (the first Roman emperor to accept Christianity in A.D. 330). c. Arius of Alexandria died as a condemned heresiarch. i. The Arians rioted after his death. ii. Fellow Christians killed more than 3,000 of them. d. Constantinople was destroyed on April 13, 1204 by armies in Read MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 Pagesjustice, and its relation to various political systems[8]. In this period the crucial features of the philosophical method were established: a critical approach to received or established views, and the appeal to reason and argumentation. [pic] [pic] St. Thomas Aquinas [edit] Medieval philosophy (c. A.D. 500–c. 1350) Main article: Medieval philosophy Medieval philosophy is the philosophy of Western Europe and the Middle East during what is now known as the medieval era or the Middle Ages, roughlyRead MoreQuestion and Correct Answer7042 Words   |  29 PagesSelected Answer: |   Ã‚   For living in open disregard of Augustuss family-centered policies | Correct Answer: |   Ã‚   For writing Ars Amatoria, a guidebook for having affairs | | | | | ï‚ · Question 31 2 out of 2 points | | | From which cult did Christianity draw baptism, sacrifice for the good of humanity, and Jesuss birth date?Answer | | | | | Selected Answer: |   Ã‚   The Persian Mithras | Correct Answer: |   Ã‚   The Persian Mithras | | | | | ï‚ · Question 32 2 out of 2 points | | | Why