Episode notes
In today’s episode, we explore the deep relationship between law, identity, and the heart. We continue with Justin Martyr as he argues that the external rites of the old covenant were signs given for a season, but that the true "spiritual circumcision" is now available to all nations through Christ. We then witness a quiet but firm transition in the life of Augustine, as he describes his decision to withdraw from his public career as a teacher of rhetoric to focus on his new life in God—balancing his desire for peace with a careful concern for his public witness. Finally, Thomas Aquinas provides the philosophical backbone for our discussion, defining the very essence of law as a rational ordering for the common good, rather than a mere arbitrary command.
Today’s Readings:
Justin Martyr — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapters 23–28
Augustine — The Confessions, Book 9, Chapter 2 (Sections 2–3)
Thomas Aquinas — Summa Theologica, Part 1–2, Question 90 (Articles 1–4 Combined)
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