Augustines teachings on human nature

Question 1

what did Augustine teach about human nature?

Answer 1

it is fatally damaged by the Fall
original sin of Adam and Eve
taught were all created in imago dei
we can all be redeemed by Gods grace
can now be achieved due to the crucifixion of Jesus

Question 2

what religion did Augustine originally base his beliefs on?

Answer 2

the Manichees who taught that the world is a constant battle between good and evil
thought human reason could lead to enlightenment and that the human body traps us in this world of darkness

Question 3

who was Augustine influenced by causing him to change his beliefs?

Answer 3

PLATO
taught human appetites are shameful and should be repressed
knowledge can lead us to the Form of the Good

Question 4

what made Augustine convert to christianity?

Answer 4

he rejected Manichaesim because he came to believe that the Grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus was needed to bring people to wisdom and salvation, no just human reason
people cannot be saved through their own efforts only = needed gods sacrifice

Question 5

what are Augustines best known books?

Answer 5

‘The City of God’ and ‘Confession’

Question 6

human nature as created by God:

Answer 6

for augustine, humans being created in imago dei means that all humans share some characteristics of god; rationality, freedom of choice (disputable) and a moral nature
believes humans were made from natural matter
‘God formed man of dust from the ground’ (genesis 1:27)
told them to be fruitful and multiply
humans were given responsibility of stewardship and denomination

Question 7

what is the Fall of humanity?

Answer 7

the Fall is describes in Genesis 2-3
the serpent tempts Eve to eat the fruit and disobey god and Adam follows = called the fall as it describes Adam and Eve falling away from their perfect human nature through their own free choice

Question 8

what does Augustine teach about the Fall?

Answer 8

believed it was catastrophic for humanity
caused Adam and Eve to be banished from the garden
Adam made to work and provide for a living
Eve forced to endure the pains of childbirth
serpent has to crawl and made the enemy of humans
people no longer have direct access to god as they did before
it was a turning point for the whole of creation

Question 9

according to Augustine what was human relationships with god like before the Fall?

Answer 9

In genesis Adam and Eve were depicted as having a close relationship with god= see, walk with, talk to
Believe everyone lived in a state of CONCORDIA = a state of loving friendship
People were able to live in a peaceful society without the need for repressive political authority = governments are a punishment from god
Must have lived in a state of perfection.g not worried about their bodies

Question 10

what are the 2 directions humanity took after the fall?

Answer 10

Cupiditas = makes people unhappy
Caritas = makes people spiritually happy
Augustine argues that these types of love became confused after the Fall

Question 11

what is Cupiditas love?

Answer 11

love of worldly, impermanent material things and selfish concerns
makes people unhappy
Augustine believes this is the direction of humans

Question 12

what is Caritas love?

Answer 12

this is generous love to others displayed by virtues (prudence, fortitude, justice)
gives people spiritual happiness

Question 13

according to Augustine what was human relationships with god like after the Fall?

Answer 13

People are unable to live morally happy lives
Original sin has compromised peoples ability to freely choose
Can only be saved via Gods grace
Augustine could relate to the spiritual struggles of Paul (Romans 7) felt chained to sin but longed to be freed from it
People now need forceful political authority = otherwise live in a world of chaos
People are ‘divided’ - still made in imago dei but will be corrupted (argue how can god make anything imperfect) so inclinations are always tainted and pulled in different directions causing them to do things they dont agree with
Sinfull humanity is at the mercy of CONCUPISCENCE = sexual an material desires

Question 14

how does Augustine describe gods grace?

Answer 14

love and mercy
demonstrated through the sacrifice of christ
claims the should with forgiveness and hope
gives moral guidance
reaches the human heart = purity and reduces effects of OS (heart was tainted with lust)
you must work to earn good grace - its not just given (will only believer be accepted = problematic)

Question 15

strengths of Augustine:

Answer 15

> encourages humans to take responsibility for their actions as stewards
attempts to account for human emotions especially contradictory ones
makes valuable distortions between love for material things (cupiditas) and love of others (caritas)
does not pretend that everything is possible for humanity as long as they try hard enough = instead emphasises human dependence of Gods grace
some agree that humans are fundamentally selfish (e.g Tomas Hobbes)

Question 16

weaknesses of Augustine:

Answer 16

> OS can seem unattractive in an era where we think of ourselves as individuals instead of a species
seems to reduce Gods omnibenevolence = punishing his creation for the actions of others
seems to reduce Gods omnipotence but this can be easily contradicted with ideas of freewill
Jean Rousseau argues against people being fundamentally corrupt and instead says humans are essentially good
John Loke argues that people are born with ‘TABULA RASA’ = a blank slate (but this provides no explanation for evil etc)
theory of evolution may make this a hard concept to accept
Augustine called for a collective ‘human nature’ - some would say that we all have our own human nature and cannot be classified together (Jean Sartre believed we are each free to create our own human nature)