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Summary Theology - Augustine's Teachings on Human Nature
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Theology - Augustine's Teachings on Human Nature summary and essay plans for ocr rs A-level
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TheologyDCT 1: Augustine's Teachings on Human Nature
Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
Augustine’s teachings on:
• whether or not Augustine’s teaching on a historical Fall and Original Sin is wrong
• whether or not Augustine is right that sin means that humans can never be morally
good
• whether or not Augustine’s view of human nature is pessimistic or optimistic
• whether or not there is a distinctive human nature
Candidates should be able to discuss these issues critically and their strengths and
weaknesses.
The influence of Augustine's life on his theology
Many factors in Augustine's life may have had an impact on his theological ideas.
These possible influences include:
The influence of his mother. - His father was a pagan but his mother was a
Christian and he had been exposed to Christian ideas from an early age. His mother
Monica first introduced him to Christian ideas and opposed his forays into
Manicheanism.
The classical scholars he read as a student. - He was sent to the university at
Carthage where he discovered great classical scholars like Cicero who wrote about
the pursuit of happiness. The work he credited with igniting his love of philosophy.
His 'wild' youth and life-long struggles with sexual urges - he lived a wild life
and in adolescence 'ran wild with lust'. He also remembered lying to teachers and
parents, stealing pears just for the fun of doing something forbidden and being
conceited about his own abilities. A key idea in understanding Augustine's teaching
about human nature is his own disgust at his inability to do what he knew he ought
to do.
His relationship with his concubine and the fact that he had to dismiss her. -
His concubine lived with him for thirteen years and had a son with her. He clearly
, loved his mistress and referenced the impact of sex. When Augustine was forced to
dismiss her to make a socially acceptable marriage he compared the separation to a
festering wound.
His involvement in Manicheanism (especially the dualistic worldview - where
humans have 2 souls and the higher souls desire God and the lower desire evil) and
his eventual disillusionment with it. His interest in Neo-Platonism, (especially the
hierarchical views where the soul can merge with God and that evil and suffering
was the soul not controlling the body) Gave Aug a solution to the problem of evil but
later rejected it.
His conversations with St Ambrose - first showed Augustine a more intellectual
and philosophical version of Christianity that Augustine found appealing by reading
the old testament symbolically.
His argument with Pelagius about free will - Most people believed in Pelagianism
where people can go to heaven without God. Aug opposed this arguing that only the
elect go to heaven after the fall corrupted humans
Pre-Lapsiarian World - Before The Fall
Human nature is the set of dispositions that humans are born with. It is the way the
mind of a human is “naturally” i.e with no cultural influence or socialisation.
Augustine claims that there is a human nature which is corrupted by original sin due
to the Fall
The Fall depicts Adam and Eve's transformation from innocence and friendship to
desire and selfishness. According to St. Augustine's understanding of Genesis 3,
there was harmony in the pre-lapsarian world prior to the Fall. Before the Fall, the
world was filled with Caritas, or selfless, giving love. The Garden of Eden was a
perfect place. Adam and Eve enjoyed a harmonious connection with nature and with
one another. This meant they had a friendliness with God, which was the pinnacle
of human existence. This harmony was seen in Adam and Eve's total obedience
and fulfilment of their God-given tasks in the universe. For example, in Genesis
2:19, the animals are named. While they were married, Augustine describes their
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