Augustine's teachings on human nature Flashcards
Augustine
From Hippo and believed that humans are not good and our own efforts will never let us achieve happiness/perfection we need God
Background
- Augustine grew up in an atmosphere of religious and philosophical pluralism that Emperor Constantine established when he converted to Christianity
Background
2 . As a young man he followed the thinking of a group called the Manichees who believed the world engaged in cosmic battle between good and evil , He had a mistress and a baby as well as an alcohol addiction.
Background
- A was also very interested in Platos ideas and the thoughts of Plotinus .. particularly how he was ashamed of living in a human body
Background
- One day he went to hear the teachings of St Ambrose this renewed his interest in Christianity but he still was not entirely convinced .
Background
- His Religious experience heard the voice of a child saying Take and read on repeat and the child handed him the Bible this changed his life he became celibate and eventually a Bishop. Furthermore his works were heavily influenced by Romans and Genesis
Romans 3
” Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin”
“ There is no one righteous , not even one”
“ This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe “
For Augustine Romans summarises the story of humanity and Christianity
Imago Dei
humans are made in the image of God . “so God created mankind in His own image “
Eve the temptress
Eve is the cause of the fall , she tempts adam and is responsible for the evil in the world
Mary Daly
accuses Augustine’s exegesis of being a major cause of western Christianity’s denigration of women
Adam and eve before the fall
lived in a spirit of loving friendship , lived in harmony with other living creatures and most important they lived without sin
Concordia
easy , comfortable and understanding relationship that good friends have with one another
explained evil
humans misuses free will and thus evil is not the fault of God
( after the fall humans are driven by 2 types of love )
Cupiditas -love of earthly and changing things
Caritas - generous love of others leading to spiritual happiness
The Fall
adam and eve sinned an it caused seperation between mankind and God
original sin
all humans inherit a sinful nature as a result of adam , it is passed by sex
Pelagius
disagreed with augustine - people could live morally , adam had just set a bad example, but it is not one everyone has to follow
Grace of God through Jesus
we can be saved from sin via Jesus , Pelagius downplays the role of christ
divided human will
people have God given ability to reason and recognise right from wrong but they still do wrong
Romans 7
” I do not understand my actions … For I do not do good I want but the evil I do not want is what I do”
Cupiditas
is love of earthly impermanent things, selfishness and love of self.
Caritas
the Latin version of the Greek word Agape. It means love of others due to virtue as an expression of God’s will.
