Lesson Plan: The Two Cities in Pop Culture

A Comparative Study of Augustine's City of God and Charmed

Materials Needed

• Access to Augustine's City of God, specifically a summary of its core concepts and excerpts from Book XIV, Chapters 1, 4, and 28. (A good online summary can be found on sites like the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, or a direct link to a public domain translation can be used).
• Access to the television show Charmed (1998), Season 1, Episode 2: "I've Got You Under My Skin."
• A notebook or word processor for taking notes and completing the final project.
• Highlighters or digital annotation tools.

Lesson Plan Details

Part 1: Introduction & Core Concepts (Approx. 45 minutes)

Goal: To understand the foundational concepts of Augustine's Two Cities: the City of God and the City of Man (or Earthly City).

Activity 1: The Hook (5 mins)

Begin with a guiding question: "What makes a place 'holy' or 'safe'? Is it the building itself, or the intentions and beliefs of the people inside it? Today, we're going to explore this idea using a 1,600-year-old book and a 90s TV show."

Activity 2: Reading and Defining (40 mins)

1. Read a reliable summary of the core argument of Augustine's City of God. Focus on understanding why he wrote it (in response to the sack of Rome) and his central thesis.
2. Read the selected excerpts from Book XIV. As you read, highlight and define the two cities based on their founding principles:
   • The Earthly City (City of Man): Founded on the love of self, to the point of contempt for God. It seeks earthly peace and glory. Its citizens are driven by pride, ambition, and a desire for temporal power.
   • The Heavenly City (City of God): Founded on the love of God, to the point of contempt for self. It seeks heavenly peace. Its citizens are driven by humility, service, and faith.
3. Discussion Point: Augustine argues these are not physical places but spiritual realities. They are invisible cities whose citizens are intermingled here on Earth. Discuss what this means. How can two people be in the same physical location but exist in two different "cities"?

Part 2: The Pop Culture "Text" (Approx. 45 minutes)

Goal: To watch the Charmed episode with an analytical eye, applying the Augustinian framework.

Activity: Critical Viewing

1. Watch Charmed, Season 1, Episode 2: "I've Got You Under My Skin."
2. As you watch, take notes specifically on the scenes involving the church and Piper's relationship with it. Pay close attention to the following:
   • Piper's Fear: Why is Piper initially afraid to enter the church after becoming a witch? What does she believe the church represents?
   • The Demon Javna: Javna can enter the church without being harmed. What does this suggest about the nature of evil and sacred spaces in the show's universe?
   • The "Sanctuary" Rule: The demon cannot attack the sisters while they are inside the church. Why not? What is the source of the church's power in this scene? Is it the physical building, a higher power, or a "rule" of magic?
   • Piper's Resolution: At the end, Piper re-enters the church to light a candle for her mother. What has changed for her? How does she now view this space?

Part 3: Synthesis and Analysis (Approx. 30 minutes)

Goal: To connect Augustine's philosophy directly to the events of the episode and draw creative conclusions.

Guided Discussion Questions:

1. The Church as a Mixed Body: In Augustine's view, both "citizens" of the City of God and the City of Man would be present in any church. How does the Charmed episode reflect this? (e.g., Good people are there, but the demon Javna can also enter freely).
2. Two Loves: How does Javna represent the "love of self"? (He consumes the youth of others to maintain his own). How do the Charmed Ones, in their role as protectors of the innocent, begin to represent the "love of others" (a secular parallel to Augustine's "love of God")?
3. The Nature of "Sanctuary": From an Augustinian perspective, is the "sanctuary" in the episode a true representation of the City of God, or is it more like the Earthly City's version of "peace"—a temporary truce or a set of rules that even demons must follow for their own self-preservation? Discuss how this differs from Augustine's idea of true, heavenly peace.
4. Piper's Journey: How does Piper's personal journey in this episode mirror the struggle of a citizen in the world? She is caught between two worlds/identities (witch and "normal" person) and must figure out where she belongs and what she believes. Does her final act of lighting a candle signify her entering the "City of God," or simply making peace with a part of the "Earthly City"?

Part 4: Creative Application & Assessment (Approx. 60-90 minutes)

Goal: To demonstrate a deep, creative understanding of the concepts by producing an original piece of work.

Project: Choose ONE of the following options.

Option A: The Missing Scene (Script Format)

Write a 2-3 page script for a new scene in this episode. The scene should feature a conversation between Prue, Piper, and Phoebe after the events at the church. In the dialogue, they must grapple with the question of why the demon could enter the church but not attack them there. Have one sister take a more Augustinian view (arguing that "holiness" isn't in the walls, but in intent and faith) while another takes a more practical, magical-rules-based view. The goal is to articulate the core of today's lesson through their character voices.

Option B: A Theologian's Review (Short Essay Format)

Imagine you are a theologian who is also a fan of Charmed. Write a 500-750 word blog post or essay titled "Why a 1,600-Year-Old Idea Explains a Key Scene in Charmed." In your essay, first briefly explain Augustine's Two Cities. Then, use that framework to analyze the church scenes in "I've Got You Under My Skin," arguing how the show (perhaps unintentionally) illustrates Augustine's core point about the intermingling of the two cities on Earth.

Project Rubric:

• Conceptual Understanding (40%): Does the project clearly and accurately demonstrate an understanding of Augustine's City of God vs. City of Man?
• Analytical Application (30%): Does the project successfully apply these concepts to analyze the Charmed episode? Are the connections insightful and well-supported by examples from the show?
• Creativity & Voice (20%): (For Option A) Is the dialogue in-character and engaging? (For Option B) Is the essay well-written, with a clear and compelling voice?
• Clarity & Structure (10%): Is the project well-organized, clear, and easy to follow?

Extension/Challenge Activity (Optional)

Find another example in modern media (a film, TV show, video game, or song) that illustrates the concept of the Two Cities co-existing in one space. Write a short paragraph explaining your choice and how it connects to Augustine's ideas.