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The City of God and the Earthly City: War and Peace | Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P.

The Thomistic Institute

Fr. Andrew Hofer explores St. Augustine’s City of God where he presents a comprehensive view of human history and destiny, contrasting the earthly city driven by self-love with the heavenly city founded on love of God. He argues that true peace and happiness can only be achieved through faith, humility, and divine grace, rather than human efforts to create happiness. Augustine also discusses just wars, the universal desire for peace, and the various levels of peace, ultimately pointing to the perfect peace found in the heavenly city. This lecture was given on June 13th, 2024, at The Catholic University of America. For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events About the Speaker: Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., (Ph.D. Notre Dame) is professor of patristics and ancient languages at the Pontifical Faculty of the Dominican House of Studies where he serves as the director of the doctoral program. He authored Christ in the Life and Teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus (Oxford University Press, 2013) and The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh (Catholic University of America, 2023). He co-authored A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life (Vianney Vocations, 2019). Editor-in-chief of the academic journal The Thomist, Hofer is editor or co-editor of several volumes including The Oxford Handbook of Deification, The Cambridge Companion to Augustine's Sermons, and Thomas Aquinas and the Greek Fathers. He enjoys speaking with students about their theological and spiritual questions.