The City of God - Where to begin reading?

Augustine's The City of God is a massive work. No doubt he intended it to be read cover to cover, but does it need to be?

Have you read it? ow did you read it? Are the core books, sections, chapters? Are some parts more essentially than others can some bits be skipped?

How would you slice and dice it?

Welcome your thoughts as I consider a reading plan.

Cheers. Liam

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Comments

Bruce Dunning

I just finished reading City of God last month for the first time and I simply read it from start to end at a pace of about a half hour or so per day. I found it a valuable way to read it.

FYI - My reading of City of God was part of reading group that I joined a few years ago called The Great Books Challenge which is attempting to read all 60 volumes of Encyclopedia Brittanica's Great Books of the Western World. - https://faithlife.com/the-great-books-challenge/activity City of God was part of 3 works of Augustine found in Volume 16. I'm thinking that I may be the only one still participating in this challenge but I would be pleased to hear if anyone else is still doing it.

Dan Francis

I think it wisest to read it straight through... However if there is nothing wrong with going to a section that really interests you and to dig in there first. The Bible may not necessarily be best read in order however I do think City of God is best read in order, in the same way that reading the books of Harry Potter series out of order might be more than acceptable but the current book you are reading assumes you have read the previous arguments meaning you will get more out of it reading it in order.

-dan

William McFarland

Years ago I was part of a Facebook reading group that read The City of God in a year. The group is named "Reading Augustine of Hippo." In their files section they have a schedule for reading The City of God in a year. It is a good way to spend the year. I have read several large works this way.

Bill

Liam Maguire

Thank you for your replies gentlemen. I'll do a bit more digging, but as you all say, it appears that cover to cover is the best way.

Have a great day. L