1. Augustines Teaching on human nature Flashcards
What is the topic about
Augustine believes that the fall damaged human nature
Aquinas life and influences
Manichees , the universe is a battle between good and evil.Human appetite traps the body but reason is the way towards enlightenment.
Plato , human appetites are shameful reason is the only way to form of good
The fall
Genesis 2-3
serpent tempts eve to eat off the tree and both disobey God
they fall away from their perfect nature
eve pain of childbirth/Adam work for a living.serpent is made enemy of humanity and we no longer have the same connection to God.
TURNING POINT OF ALL CREATION
human relationship before the fall
People lived in state of loving friendship… Concordia
Lived in state of perfection without sin
Lived comfortable with naked bodies and weren’t worried about being naked
Peaceful world with no need for repressive authority but still need authority
Human nature created by god
Adam and Eve are created in imago dei(we share some characteristics with God)
Made of physical matter
They are given stewardship
Two loves flawed humans confuse?
We as humans confuse two loves
cupiditas - love of worldly, impermanent things.(brings unhappiness
Caritas - Generous love of others displayed through virtues which gives spiritual happiness(prudence, justice)
Which love did Adam and Eve choose
Adam and Eve chose cupiditas after the fall.Passed on original sin
Humans after the fall
Original sin has corrupted our ability to live morally good
People can only be saved by the grace of God
People are divided we are made in imago dei and have reason
-People need forceful political authority
What is concupscience
the cause of sinful humanity
uncontrollable desire for physical pleasures and material things
What is earthly peace
a compromise between sinful individuals
Aquinas teaching on grace
We can only be saved from sin through grace of God
people will still sin after receiving grace but God will accept some into heaven
strengths
encourages humanity to take responsibility for own failings
valuable distinction between cupiditas and carita
weaknesses
an omnibenevolent god punishing people for sins they didn’t commit is hard to accept
John lock - people are born with tabula rasa (blank slate)
he assumes we all have the same human nature - Jean Paul Sartre
Theory of evolution makes it difficult to see that humanity is so different in nature to other animals.
