Edward Arthur Naumann

Augustine the Preacher and the Judgment of God Edward Arthur Naumann

This study provides a comprehensive overview of Augustine's homiletic application of the various teachings that are associated with divine judgment. These include original sin, divine mercy and justice, God's activity in the world, his desire for the salvation of sinners, the incomprehensibility of divine election, the need for faith, love, and repentance to be saved, divine displeasure with sins and approval of works of charity, the divinely appointed means for receiving the forgiveness of sins in the one true Church, God's judgment on those who unworthily partake in Christian sacraments and rituals, the mixture and separation of the good and the bad, various elements of the last judgment of Christ, and the timing of the last day. All of this amounts to what God has revealed in scripture and commanded his bishops to preach concerning the path of salvation. This is a contextualized study of the sermons, in which Augustine is portrayed as more than a thinker or a theologian. He is also a bishop, a shepherd of souls and a watchman over his flock, ever vigilant against the real dangers - both internal and external - that jeopardize the eternal welfare of his people. The same teachings are therefore applied differently in different sermons, which are distinct in their time, place and audience. The content and style of Augustine's preaching depends on his perception of what his listeners most need to hear.