The Air Around Us

I am a third of the way through The City of God and The Augustine is still talking about how the demons that everyone besides Christians worship can't compare to The Almighty. He goes at great lengths to deconstruct Roman, Greek, Egyptian dieties, philosophies, mysteries etc. and basically finds the same culprits behind all of them. He doesn't deny that there is power in these religions, not at all. Rather, he says that the power is destructive and demonic. And that it can't stand against Christ.

I've been reading this while also attending the 15 weeks of the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course, and I've heard 15 weeks of lectures from missionaries and workers from around the world testifying to the reality that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against powerful prinicpalities and tremendous strongholds. And that these can not stand against Christ.

One speaker, a worker with Native American tribes, described the standard American Christian worldview as being, spiritually-speaking, God and Man. She made it clear that such a worldview doesn't explain the testimony of scripture, the church around the world, or her experience. She countered that the Christian worldview must contain God - spiritworld - man.

Going through this class and reading this book really spur me on toward serious prayer and serious discipline. I mean, what do you do with The Augustine? Do you try to debate this guy?