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2024 – Late Roman Africa gives us plenty to ponder. Christianity there had been divided between two factions since the early fourth century. By the fifth, militants among the Donatists (or sectarians) struck at their rivals, whose leading spokesman, Augustine, is our principal source. But did he exaggerate the difficulties catholic Christianity faced or wholly fabricate to attract government attention and intervention? For the same purposes, did he invent a resurgence of paganism? Or were there dangers to the safety of his congregations from sectarians and complications caused by polytheists purveying fake news about the history and fate of the empire? Did their seductive fictions threaten the ascendancy of Christianity, which its most prolific prelate would have been irresponsible to overlook? The scholarly consensus now tilts toward the claim that Augustine deployed the rhetoric of security to “wipe out” Donatists and pagan dissent. Some suggest the latter was then extinct. Safety First contends that Augustine’s concerns were well-founded and that his attempts to redirect civic philanthropy, reconcile with sectarian Christians, end idolatry, and draw support for those efforts from the politically influential expressed his interests in security and adapted what his faith considered sound perspectives on sin, the sacraments, sacrilege, and superstition.

Ian Clausen, editor-in-chief, Augustinian Studies: It is no surprise that Peter Kaufman, long a thrilling and dissident voice in the field of Augustine’s political thought, has once again challenged us to reconsider our prevailing assumptions about the late antique world. His book’s unassuming title disguises a deep engagement with Augustine’s difficult balancing act between Christian misericordia and Roman imperium, issuing its own balanced assessment of the bishop’s efforts to support the conditions of earthly life as a member of the catholic faithful. This is an impressive achievement.