Final answer:
The Manichean definition of God confused Augustine's perception by introducing a dualistic cosmology, challenging the Christian concepts of God's omnipotence and inherent goodness of creation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Manichean definition of God posed a significant challenge to Augustine's perception of God primarily because it introduced the concept of a dualistic God, which contradicted the Christian view of God's omnipotence and goodness. The Manichean heresy presented a universe divided between equal forces of good and evil. This dualistic cosmology was fundamentally at odds with the Christian doctrine that God is the omnipotent creator of all, and that everything God created was inherently good. As Bishop of Hippo, Augustine defended theological orthodoxy by arguing that evil in the world is a result of human free will and the original sin, rather than being a substance created by God. Moreover, it was Augustine's view that evil is merely a privation of good, which aligns with his Neo-Platonic influences and allows for the existence of a wholly good, omnipotent deity, thus resolving the problem of evil in the presence of an all-powerful, all-loving God.