The City of God

[arnoldo]

I'm currently in the middle of reading/listening this book by Augustine. Some initial impressions are that Augustine seems to make a big issue of the "barbarians" sparring the lives of christians (and some non-christians) who sought sanctuary in christian places of worship. Augustine then goes on to attribute this apparent act of benevolence to divine protection but is it possible these "barbarians" were already christians (Arians?) to begin with or sparred certain people for other reasons? Any feedback from others who have read this book would be greatly appreciated.

[arnoldo]

While reading another book (The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade: by Susan Bauer) I learned that the Visigoth led sack of Rome was in fact led by an Arian christian general named Alaric. Bauer writes that Alaric gave orders before the sack of Rome to not destroy any Christian temples. If this is correct, then Augustine's argument of any divine providence involved during the sack of Rome is greatly weakened. Augustine, however, does give a strong argument regarding the problem of suffering in relation to the sack of Rome.