It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
–Hebrews 2:10
Historical Background
Christianity historically has not taught the “prosperity gospel”. On the contrary, it might be properly called the Suffering Gospel. Jesus was not prosperous in this life, but suffered and died on the cross. His disciples made it plain in their teachings that it was necessary to follow Jesus’ example and suffer all things. From the first to the third century, Christians were persecuted and hated in the Roman Empire, being charged with “the crime of murder, or sacrilege, or incest, or treason”, and even atheism. This is attested by both Christian and non-Christians writings from that period, for example, the letters of Pliny the Younger and Emperor Trajan, and The Annals of Tacitus. These facts make it all the more amazing that Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire by the end of the 3rd century.
After the Sack of Rome in 410 AD, the pagans again blamed the calamity on Christianity, believing that its ban on pagan worship had caused the gods to abandon and punish them; More than 1600 years later, there are still award-winning books published arguing that Christianity destroyed the classical world.
Augustine writes City of God with a two-fold purpose: First, to refute the pagan attacks and establish the orthodox doctrines of Christianity; Second, to meet a strong pastoral need, and comfort and strengthen Christians who have suffered from the calamities of war.
The Christian View of Suffering
To expound the Christian view of suffering, Augustine begins by expounding the foundation of Christianity, i.e., Christ, the Love of God.
Christianity differs from paganism in its view of God, and consequently its view of suffering. In pagan religions, sufferings, such as famines, plagues and wars, are caused by the gods and are a form of punishment, even the gods themselves suffer involuntary; In Stoicism, physical sufferings are neither good nor evil, but only perceived so as a matter of human opinion; By contrast, in Christianity, suffering is part of divine providence, and therefore it works for good, according to the beneficent will of God.
“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, … If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
— Romans 8
Suffering as a Test of Goodness
To the age-old question: Why do both the good and the wicked suffer?
Augustine makes a two-fold answer: First, it is through suffering that good and evil are manifested. We cannot distinguish the good from the wicked unless they have first endured trials and shown their mettle. There is no courage without danger, no temperance without temptation, no wisdom without crisis, and no dragon slayers without dragons.
Wherefore, though good and bad men suffer alike, we must not suppose that there is no difference between the men themselves, because there is no difference in what they both suffer. For even in the likeness of the sufferings, there remains an unlikeness in the sufferers; and though exposed to the same anguish, virtue and vice are not the same thing. For as the same fire causes gold to glow brightly, and chaff to smoke; and under the same flail the straw is beaten small, while the grain is cleansed; and as the lees are not mixed with the oil, though squeezed out of the vat by the same pressure, so the same violence of affliction proves, purges, clarifies the good, but damns, ruins, exterminates the wicked. And thus it is that in the same affliction the wicked detest God and blaspheme, while the good pray and praise.
— City of God I.8
Secondly, it is through suffering that we discern accidental and temporal goodness from essential and abiding goodness. Accidental goodness is independent of our choice of will, such as inheritance, beauty, health and intelligence; whereas abiding goodness cannot be lost without our consent, such as faith, perseverance and integrity.
Virgins cherish their virginity as one of their high virtues, and would rather commit suicide than be deprived of their virginity. Augustine, contrary to popular opinion, suggests that virginity which can be involuntarily taken away is not an abiding virtue, but rather of the accidental type. By contrast, the abiding virtue of chastity is bestowed by God, and cannot be involuntarily taken away from us. Therefore, the virgins who are firm in their chaste will and resolution have kept their virtues intact, although their bodies were violated.
Suffering as a Way of Perfection
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. As Jesus went to the Father through suffering and death, so the Way of Perfection is through suffering.
Before the fourth century, Christians were tortured by the Roman officials that they might deny Christ; during the Sack of Rome, Christians were tortured, that they might deliver up their material goods. The Latin word, “cruciatibus”, which is usually translated into English as “torture” or “torment”, is derived from the Latin root literally meaning crucifixion. Augustine writes that torture works for the good of those who love Christ. As they suffered in Christ and like Christ through being tortured, they shall be perfected in Him, more precious than gold tested in the furnace of fire.
They could indeed neither deliver nor lose that good which made themselves good. … For under these tortures no one lost Christ by confessing Him, no one preserved wealth save by denying its existence. So that possibly the torture which taught them that they should set their affections on a possession they could not lose.
–City of God I.10
Appeal to Heroism
In conclusion, I’ll quote Augustine’s exhortation to the Romans, as he compares the founding of Rome to the founding of the City of God and appeals to their heroic and noble aspirations.
This, rather, is the religion worthy of your desires, O admirable Roman race,—the progeny of your Scævolas and Scipios, of Regulus, and of Fabricius.
If there is in your nature any eminent virtue, only by true piety is it purged and perfected, while by impiety it is wrecked and punished. Choose now what you will pursue, that your praise may be not in yourself, but in the true God, in whom is no error.
Awake, it is now day; as you have already awaked in the persons of some in whose perfect virtue and sufferings for the true faith we glory: for they, contending on all sides with hostile powers, and conquering them all by bravely dying, have purchased for us this country of ours with their blood; to which country we invite you, and exhort you to add yourselves to the number of the citizens of this city, which also has a sanctuary of its own in the true remission of sins.
Do not listen to those degenerate sons of thine who slander Christ and Christians, and impute to them these disastrous times, though they desire times in which they may enjoy rather impunity for their wickedness than a peaceful life. Such has never been Rome’s ambition even in regard to her earthly country. Lay hold now on the celestial country, which is easily won, and in which you will reign truly and for ever. For there shall thou find no vestal fire, no Capitoline stone, but the one true God.
— City of God II.29