Peace, Hope, and the Order of Love: An Augustinian Perspective on Political Life

Responding to contemporary war, polarization, and social division, this paper retrieves Augustine of Hippo's political theology of the two cities to argue for a 'tragic hope' that sustains political action without despair or illusion. Because earthly peace is always partial and human loves are disordered, political structures cannot guarantee lasting peace; still, temporal peace remains a genuine good when pursued with humility and rightly ordered love, making hope indispensable to Augustine's vision of political life.