Augustine's Teaching on the Two Cities (Civitates) and Nigerian Society. A Reflection on Church-State Relations and its Pastoral Challenges

Augustine's creative and allegorical thought, in his City of God, on social life is one that provides citizens of the earthly cities, especially Christians, an opportunity to understand why and how they should contribute positively to public life through faith and social responsibility. Believing that human life is social, our human social existence must transcend and go beyond social, religious and political affiliations. This requires that individuals be good and upright in their social engagements as religious and political citizens. It also entails individual rights, duties and obligations, without excluding the fight against injustice, social vice, exploitation and power abuse within human society. These sets of values and the positive outcome thereof can only be achieved through love. This love is the driving force to social peace, a love which must promote order and justice within societal life. Irrespective of its heavenly orientation, these teachings are significantly context-bound, like every theological and philosophical endeavour that concerns and connects the human person to its earthly realities. Contextualising these concepts within human existence flows from a social, religious and political assessment. It tends primarily towards moral benefits and social norms that must not lose sight of the spiritual reality, which enlightens and build good moral conscience that impacts virtues and values in society.