Friday, September 9, 2016

A Voice from the Past - Augustine

Neither let that further question disturb us, how much of love we ought to spend upon our brother, and how much upon God: incomparably more upon God than upon ourselves, but upon our brothers as much as upon ourselves; and we love ourselves so much the more,the more we love God. Therefore we love God and our neighbors from one and the same love; but we love God for the sake of God, and ourselves and our neighbors for the sake of God.

Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 AD, On the Trinity, Book VIII, Chapter 8, 12, (translated by Rev. Arthur West Haddan, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Philip Schaff, Hendrickson Publishers, 2012, First Series, Vol. 3, p. 124).

How should we balance the love of God and of our neighbor? Does Augustine have the right idea?

No comments:

Post a Comment