Definition

1. Noun phrase:
   • A phrase used to refer to Heaven; the celestial city: A metaphorical or religious term for the eternal, perfect dwelling place of God and the blessed, often contrasted with the earthly or imperfect world. It is famously used as the goal of the protagonist in John Bunyan's allegory The Pilgrim's Progress.

Usage Examples

• Noun phrase:
  • In his sermon, the pastor described the believer's ultimate hope as reaching the city of God.
  • The concept of the City of God has been a central theme in Christian theology for centuries.

Advanced Usage

• "The City of God" (capitalized): Often refers specifically to St. Augustine's seminal work (), which contrasts the earthly city (the City of Man) with the heavenly, eternal city.
  • Augustine's The City of God was written as a defense of Christianity after the sack of Rome.

Variants and Related Words

• Heavenly Jerusalem: A synonymous biblical term for the divine city.
• Celestial City: A direct synonym, popularized by Bunyan's .
• Zion: In a spiritual sense, can refer to the heavenly city or the kingdom of God.

Synonyms

• Heaven
• Paradise
• Kingdom of God

Related Idioms

• "Pilgrim's progress": While not an idiom containing "city of God," this phrase from Bunyan's work is culturally linked, meaning a long and difficult journey towards a spiritual goal.
  • Recovering from his addiction was a real pilgrim's progress for him.

Noun

1. phrases used to refer to Heaven
   • the Celestial City was Christian's goal in Bunyan's `Pilgrim's Progress'