Chapter 22 Summary and Analysis

As Europe emerges from the Middle Ages, the church and European states become more similar in terms of absolutism and thought processes. At the same time, they have conflict between church and state. Augustine, like Paul, is also concerned with the role of freedom in Christianity. Augustine expands Paul's view and tries to incorporate the Neoplatonic conception of freedom and God. He ends up basically downplaying the role of personal freedom. Augustine views personal freedom as a form of emptiness that doesn't result in inner peace because it does not result in reconciliation. He espouses sovereignal freedom when he describes freedom as a gift from God. Freedom can never be achieved by man on man's own. In heaven, man will share in God's freedom. Man will have free will without any temptation from sin. This freedom is the gift from God...