Question

How does Augustine introduce evil?

Answer 1

St. Augustine explained evil as originating from the fall of humanity, portraying God as engaged in soul-making and defining evil as a privation of good. His perspective reconciles the existence of evil with a benevolent deity and connects it to the concept of free will, allowing for human moral development within God's providential plan.

Step-by-step explanation:

Introduction to the Concept of Evil by Augustine

St. Augustine introduced the concept of evil as stemming from the fall of humanity after the disobedience in the Garden of Eden, leading humans to become susceptible to the deceptions of Satan. This conception of evil absolves an all-loving and all-powerful deity from being its creator and portrays God as engaged in soul-making, guiding humans from an undeveloped life (bios) to divine love and a spiritual life (zoe). In Augustine's view, all of creation is innately good, as it is made by God, and what appears to be evil is instead the absence of good, or a privation, necessary for a greater good or the broader providential plan of God. This approach not only provides an explanation for the existence of evil but also maintains the goodness of God, enabling Augustine to reconcile the presence of evil with the attributes of an omnibenevolent deity.

Free Will and the Problem of Evil

Augustine's ideas also touch on free will, proposing that despite the original sin, it remains within human capacity to choose goodness, with divine grace aiding the resolution of conflict between our will to do good and the desire for sinfulness. Evil, in this perspective, is a human experience that aids in the moral and spiritual growth of the soul, paralleling Irenaeus's view that evil serves a purpose in soul-making. Within this framework, evil is not a separate force or independent being but arises from the choices exercised by beings endowed with free will, in the larger context of God's permissive will allowing for moral development and greater goods.

Answer 2

St. Augustine attributes the origin of evil to human fallibility following the disobedience in the Garden of Eden, maintaining that evil is the absence of good, and anchors this in a process of 'soul-making.' His Neo-Platonic view sees God's creation as inherently good, with evil serving a divine plan for a greater good.

Step-by-step explanation:

Introduction of Evil by Augustine

St. Augustine of Hippo, in grappling with the problem of evil, proposes that evil originated from the fall of humanity as depicted in the story of the Garden of Eden. This account places responsibility for the existence of evil on human beings, who were led astray by Satan. Augustine's approach solves the theological dilemma of reconciling an all-loving, all-good, and powerful God with the existence of evil by suggesting that evil is not a creation of God, but rather a privation of good. Humans, moving from bios (undeveloped life) to zoe (divine love and spiritual life), are engaged in 'soul-making,' which is a process allowed by God to achieve a greater good. Thus for Augustine, evil exists as a necessary part of a divine plan, which leads to a greater perfection in the whole, reflecting his Neo-Platonic influences.

In contrast, other perspectives such as that of Irenaeus view evil as a necessary condition for spiritual development, which encourages 'soul-making' through facing and overcoming evils. This view, however, introduces the concept that God could somehow be the author of evil, leading to a challenge regarding the all-good nature of God. Augustine's perspective differs in that it maintains God's complete goodness and omnipotence by reframing evil as the absence of good and asserting that all creation was inherently good because God created it. Augustine's ideas also delve into the realm of free will, offering an explanation that allows for human freedom within the divine foreknowledge and providence of God.