St. Augustineʼs views on the relationship justice and law

This article examines St. Augustine’s views on the relationship between justice and law, which represent a significant contribution to the history of the state and law, as well as to Christian theology and philosophy. Augustine argues that true justice comes from God and should be the basis of any legal and political order. Laws, he argues, have meaning only if they are based on divine justice; otherwise they lose their legitimacy and become arbitrary rules upheld by force. The article analyzes Augustine’s key ideas, such as the concept of ordered love (ordo amoris), theodicy, and the role of the state in ensuring justice. Specific examples from Augustine’s writings, such as “On the City of God” and “Confessions”, are cited, and the influence of his ideas on subsequent legal and philosophical thought, including the writings of Thomas Aquinas and the medieval concept of natural law, is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the relevance of Augustineʼs concepts in the contemporary context, where they continue to influence human rights theory and international law. A survey analysis of studies by modern Western and Russian researchers of St. Augustine’s work is conducted, outlining the development of his concept and the modern interpretation of his ideas relating to the problem of the relationship between justice and law in the state.