Foundations of Political Thought: Athens and Jerusalem

Undergraduate

Modern political philosophy has two ancient foundations: Greek philosophy (Athens) and the Bible (Jerusalem). Each of these two cities offers radically different answers to the perennial questions about politics: what is justice and who shall rule? After contrasting these two ancient perspectives, we shall compare medieval attempts to synthesize Greek philosophy and biblical faith by Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. What do we owe to God and what to Caesar?