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Animal Rights History Timeline » [BCE-CE] Antiquity » Saint Augustine of Hippo

Saint Augustine of Hippo

[4th-5th c.] Saint Augustine of Hippo, Works, in Fathers of the Church, Online at NewAdvent.org

St. Augustine of Hippo's writings are extensive and therefore at this time I have only included passages I found while searching though a few of his texts.

[368-405] Writings Against the Manichaeans

Much of which is known about "Why the Manichaens Abstained from Animal Food," is related by St. Augustin. Although orginally a follower, later in life he writes extensively Against the Manichaeans.

[400] Confessions

I remember, too, that when I decided to compete for a theatrical prize, a soothsayer demanded of me what I would give him to win; but I, detesting and abominating such foul mysteries, answered, "That if the garland were of imperishable gold, I would not suffer a fly to be destroyed to secure it for me." For he was to slay certain living creatures in his sacrifices, and by those honours to invite the devils to give me their support. But this ill thing I also refused. (Confessions, Book 4)

I set in order before the view of my spirit the whole creation, and whatever we can discern in it, such as earth, sea, air, stars, trees, living creatures; yea, and whatever in it we do not see, as the firmament of heaven, all the angels, too, and all the spiritual inhabitants thereof.…And I said, Behold God, and behold what God has created; and God is good, yea, most mightily and incomparably better than all these; but yet He, who is good, has created them good, and behold how He encircles and fills them.…Whence, therefore, is it, seeing that God, who is good, has made all these things good? He, indeed, the greatest and chiefest Good, has created these lesser goods; but both Creator and created are all good.…Thus, on the one hand, God is the good, and all things which He has made are good, though not so good as He who made them. For what madman would venture to require that the works should equal the workman, the creatures the Creator? What more do you want? Could you wish for anything plainer than this? (Confessions, Book 7)

[413-422] The City of God

What is meant by the term "hunter but deceiver, oppressor, and destroyer of the animals of the earth? (City of God, book 16, ch. 4)

Dumb animals, though of different species, would more easily hold intercourse than they, human beings though they be.… so that a man would more readily hold intercourse with his dog than with a foreigner. (City of God, book 19, ch. 7)

For as animals, by shunning pain, show that they love bodily peace, and, by pursuing pleasure to gratify their appetites, show that they love peace of soul, so their shrinking from death is a sufficient indication of their intense love of that peace which binds soul and body in close alliance. (City of God, book 19, ch. 14)

And this work of His is so great and wonderful, that not only man, who is a rational animal, and consequently more excellent than all other animals of the earth, but even the most diminutive insect, cannot be considered attentively without astonishment and without praising the Creator. (City of God, book 22, ch. 24)