Augustine and Human Nature

Question 1

why is the Summum Bonum important for Augustine and why can he been seen as optimistic because of this?

Answer 1

• often called the Doctor of Grace as his writings contain so many references to God’s generous love
• God’s grace is the only cure for the illness of sin
• his grace is freely available to all as Jesus died to atone for human sin
• God’s generous love is unmerited - humans can do nothing to deserve or work towards grace they simply have to accept it
• then humans can achieve the summum bonum

Question 2

what is the summum bonum

Answer 2

an eternal, supreme goodness in the presence of God

the highest human goal

Question 3

possible strengths of Augustine’s teaching on human nature

Answer 3

• encourages humanity to take responsibility for its own actions/recognise its failings
• understands/accounts for emotions
• valuable distinctions between love of the material and love of others
• recognises his own weakness
• willing to engage with everyday human experience
• doesn’t pretend that anything is possible for humanity as long as they try hard enough
• Hobbes agrees people are fundamentally selfish
• offers a cure - Doctor of Grace

Question 4

what are possible weaknesses of Augustine’s teaching on human nature

Answer 4

• idea of Original sin is unattractive - we are used to thinking of ourselves as individuals rather than a whole species
• loving God punishing us for another’s sins is hard to reconcile with
• we are not fundamentally corrupt - Locke - people born with a tabula rasa
• evolution calls into question the historical truth of the fall
• focus on sin and corruption distorts the hopeful Christian message of the goodness of God and the hope of salvation
• Satre - no such thing as human nature we all have our natures and cannot be classified together

Question 5

sin means humans can never be morally good

Answer 5

• Bible - Adam and Eve - Original Sin
• moral evil in the world - examples
• humans inclined to sin - Hobbes
• although we cannot be morally good ourselves we can be saved from sin by God’s grace

Question 6

sin does not mean that humans can never be morally good

Answer 6

• not a thing called human nature - people are different
• satre - we free to form our own nature
• Locke - Tabula rasa
• concept of sin can be challenged
• moral behaviour is relative, determined by social and cultural norms rather than absolute norms
• afterlife gives everyone the opportunity to be free from sin

Question 7

Augustine’s teachings about the historical Fall of humanity are impossible to believe

Answer 7

• people more likely to interpret Genesis in a mythological way
• scientific accounts of evolution more plausible
• people are a mixture of good and bad - do not all share an essential nature
• free to develop their own moral natures in an existential way
• people are basically good - Rosseau

Question 8

Augustine’s teachings about the historical Fall of humanity are not impossible to believe

Answer 8

• a lot of modern people do believe that humanity was created as described in the Bible its not impossible - fundamentalists
• Fall story teaches important truths about human nature and humanity’s relationship with God even if its truth told through myth rather than a historical account
• people’s experience of sin and their own internal struggles to live a moral life might be seen as evidence to support Augustine’s teachings