O pokoju ziemskim i pokoju wiecznym : rozważania św. Augustyna w księdze XIX De Civitate Dei

Abstract

Augustine’s dissertation on peace in Book XIX of De Civitate Dei is one of the most important passages in the entire work. The issue is of extraordinary importance for Augustine, as evidence the fact that he discusses it with considerable intensity, and attempts to examine it from all sides. He produces ten definitions of peace: the first five deal with peace on ever higher planes in the life of each individual, while the next five involve peace in social life. The foundation for all ten of these, however, is the definition of order: pax omnium rerum tranquillitas ordinis. Augustine’s ideal is peace that is entirely undisturbed ad lasting. Such peace prevails in Heaven, and will someday be made real on earth, in the City of God. This is the divine or heavelny peace, a peace which is at once genuine, eternal, and perfect (pax Dei, pax caelestis - vera, perpetua, aeterna, perfecta). This heavenly peace is the summum bonum and the summa felicitas, consisting in the undisturbed possession of God. The peace of evil and impious men is in turn only a shadow and a spectre of peace (species pacis, umbra pacis), its pervesion, falling far short of the ideals of good and just men.