'Harsh Love' and Forgiveness. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Johnson, James Turner
• Is Part Of: Studies in Christian ethics. Volume 28:Number 3(2015)
• Page Start: 266
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Love -- war -- Augustine -- punishment -- Donatists -- reconciliation; Christian ethics -- Periodicals; Morale chrétienne -- Périodiques; 241.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0953946814565304
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-9468

Abstract

While Biggar in chapter 2 of his In Defence of War cites Augustine in support of an argument for forgiveness and reconciliation, this paper argues through a close look at Augustine's Letters 95 and 139 and Book I of his On Christian Doctrine that Augustine's view of how the Donatists should be treated focused on their punishment, not on reconciliation in the sense Biggar describes.