Augustine Flashcards
Give a brief account of Augustine’s life
He was born to a pagan father, and a Christian mother
Idleness led him into indulgence and sexual adventure
Had a group of friends called ‘the wreckers’- sinful adolescence
Was a Manichaeist- fundamental concept of the duality of light and dark- nothing was his fault and therefore allowed for him to escape responsibility for his sins
He became disillusioned with Manichaeism while studying philosophy in Milan
He repeated his sin, but wrestled with the demands of his flesh (he struggled with celibacy)
He heard a child say ‘pick up and read’, which lead to him reading a passage of the Bible and converting to Christianity
What passage of the Bible lead to Augustine’s conversion?
‘not in riots and drunken parties […] but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in its lust’
Define caritas
self-interested will and love of self
Define cupiditas
Good will/ love of God
How did Augustine believe the prelapsarian world was?
No killing or death
Animals were not killed for food, they lived in harmony
Adam and Eve had dominion
Sex wasn’t desirable and purely to reproduce
There was no shame or embarrassment, A + E’s nakedness was a symbol of their purity
A+E lived in full union with God, they freely walked and talked with him, served him without any questions, strong cupiditas
Give some useful quotes from Genesis 1 to describe the prelapsarian world
'God created the heavens and earth' 'God saw that it was good' 'Rule over [...] every other living creature' 'Be fruitful and increase in number' 'God created mankind in his image'
How did Augustine believe the postlapsarian world was?
Adam hid from God and kept secrets
They were ashamed, of their betrayal and nakedness
They were now like God because they knew good from evil
E only has desire for her husband, and her purpose is to have children (a process that God made painful)
A rules over her, and provides food by working hard
They used animal skins for clothing
Give some useful quotes from Genesis 3 to describe the postlapsarian world
‘You will be like God, knowing good from evil’
‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid’
‘Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you’
‘God banished him’
What happened during the Fall/ what caused it?
The snake tempted Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, so that they can be like God and know good from evil
They were then punished, and banished from Eden
Child birth was made painful, tensions were formed between the snake’s and the humans offspring, man has to work the land to produce enough food, things now died
Define original sin
A state which refers to the distance and separation between God and humans caused by the Fall
Everyone lives in a state of Original Sin, born with this burden due to being product of concupiscence
Define akrasia
the divided will- the state of mind which someone acts against their better judgement due to weakness/ lack of self-control
Define concupiscence
sexual desire
What Latin phrase for OS did Augustine use?
Peccatum originale
quote from Augustine about the passing of OS
‘Every human was present in Adam’s seed’
What did St Paul believe about human nature?
It is paradoxical. There is an internal battle between how we know we should live and the temptation of sin. He said our good will is weak due to our separation of God
Although we know what is right, we usually choose to sin
A useful quote from St Paul
‘For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do
What did Augustine believe about salvation?
Humans have no power to save themselves
God chooses who to save and gives them grace- PREDESTINATION
What scripture did Augustine use to support his beliefs about salvation?
EPHESIANS ‘being saved is a decision ‘not of yourself’’
ROMANS ‘His choice is based on his grace, not on what they have done’
JOHN ‘apart from make you can do nothing’
What nickname was Augustine given because of his beliefs on salvation?
‘Doctor of grace’- Doctor Gratiae
Explain another view on salvation that contrasts Augustine’s
Salvation by merit
PELAGIUS- plagiarism is seen the religion of autonomy
Good works are human obligation and lead to salvation
God indicates what is good
Salvation is earned
Humans aren’t as corrupt as A believed
Good works are a result of autonomous human free will
A leads to devaluation of human freedom and moral responsibility
Quote that supports salvation by merit
MATTHEW- ‘Whenever you refused to help, you refused to help me. These people will be sent off to eternal punishment, bu the righteous will go to eternal life’
How did Dawkins criticise Augustine?
Belief in A+E is ‘completely unscientific’ and ‘utterly baffling’
Human genetic diversity couldn’t be the product of less than 10,000 parents, let alone just two
OS is preposterous
How did Sartre criticise Augustine?
No shared human nature
Everyone makes their own choices, and should make them in ‘good faith’
‘EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE’ Human nature is not prior to out existence
How did Pelagius criticise Augustine?
Humans have free will but no inclination to sin
The doctrine of OS undermines other Christian beliefs, as God is omniscient he would have known it would have occurred.
He is benevolent and just, and so wouldn’t punish all humans for something they did not do
