| dc.description.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. | en_EN |
