Church and Society

Wilken addresses the interaction between the church and society/world in a number of ways. In order to achieve peace and harmony, the church interacts with the objects of the world. He approaches it from the premise that creatures resemble their creator and that God's attributes are reflected in their conduct. Animals and humans both have a body and a soul that they utilize to interact with the outside world (Congdon 102). Augustine is in favor of the symbiotic relationship between people and their environment. People and animals seek to live in harmony with the environment, just like their Creator, in order to prevent unpleasant experiences like feeling pain. Augustine states that "When animals flee from pain, they show how they love the peace of the body…" (Wilken 239). Human beings show a sense of unity when they flee death so that the soul and body can remain intact. Augustine says that "…when they flee from death they give a good indication of how much they love that peace which unites body and soul with each other. Besides, humans understand that they have weaknesses of both the body and mind hence they need divine intervention in their life. The divine powers assist them in overcoming the challenges of living. In The City of God, Augustine states that "Therefore, he needs divine instruction, which he may follow with certitude, and divine help, that he may follow it freely" (Wilken 240). The church is sensitive to the environment and therefore relates to it in the best way possible. God made the objects found in the surroundings, and he is the Divine Being who is revered by the Church. Thus God is a common aspect in both the surroundings and church.

Works Cited

Congdon, David. "The Nature of the Church in Theological Interpretation: Culture, Volk, and Mission." Journal of Theological Interpretation 11.1 (2017): 101-117.

Wilken, Robert L. "Augustine’s City of God." The Two Cities of God: The Church’s Responsibility for the Earthly City (1997): 238-245.