Augustine: SDT

Question 1

Main first line of point

What did Augustine believe ?

Answer 1

God couldn’t make anything imperfect as he was a perfect being

Question 2

Where did Aug

Answer 2

Linked to Genesis 1:31

Question 3

Main first point

What did Augustine say about Gods nature and problem of evil ?

Answer 3

Augustine believed an omnipotent, omnibelevolent and omniscient God couldn’t have created evil

Question 4

Second argument:

According to Augustine why does evil exist ?

Answer 4

Due to privation of good , absence of good so lack of good allows evil to exist and prevail same way darkness prevails in the absence of light

Question 5

What is variety according to Augustine ?

Answer 5

Part of goodness and perfection of the created world

Question 6

What are the examples of the variety created in the world by Augustine

Answer 6

• different plants and animals
• heirachy of angels
• different people
• worm cannot sing or a tree cannot walk

Question 7

When using example of tree cannot walk or worm cannot sing what is a prime example that is shows according to Augustine ?

Answer 7

Part of diversity of creation and not evil ,God still created a tree for a tree and a worm to be a worm

Question 8

What does variety/difference mean according to Augustine ?

Answer 8

Difference is good and necessary difference meant that other creatures will be more limited that others

Question 9

When did evil first occur according to Augustine

Answer 9

Fall of the angels

Question 10

How does the fall of the angels link to variety according to Augustine ?

Answer 10

All angels were perfect but varied, some had less grace than others as part of variety

Question 11

Due to some angels recovering less grace what does this mean ? And how does this link to free will ? According to Augustine ?

Answer 11

Some angels received less guidance from God than others in the same way , some angels misuse their free will and choose not to worship God but to rival him

Question 12

According to Augustine, where is free will also mirrored?

Answer 12

Fall of Adam and Eve , Tempted by satan to eat forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden

Question 13

What has the abuse of both falls done according to Augustine ?

Answer 13

Disrupted the whole world on a cosmic scale which is shown by moral and natural evil

Question 14

What is Soul Deciding Theodicy ?

Answer 14

Evil requires a decision using free will humans about whether they will follow God or give into evil (free will defence )

Question 15

Why does evil according to Augustine exists ?

Answer 15

Seminally present in the lions of Adam and Eve so we share the effects of original sin as God is fair so he cannot stop evil and suffering as cannot interfere with free action

Question 16

What is a retort to the theodicy of Augustine ?

Answer 16

• The theodicy relies on the creative interpretation of Genisis 2&3 as angel not mentioned in bible only as guards once Adam and Eve left the garden
• serpent not mentioned as satan

Question 17

What does Augustine believe we know as humans ?

Answer 17

We know good but still chose to not do it , to truly love God we must have free will to choose

Question 18

What does Augustine argue about the world ?

Answer 18

A world of evil that comes from free will is better than one without

Question 19

Retort to Augustine free will ?

Answer 19

We actually do not have true free of our choice to go heaven or hell as we can do good actions but how can we freely choose consequences we want to avoid