Augustine's Theodicy Flashcards

1
Q

What did Augustine say was the definition of evil?

A

A privation (lack) of good e.g blindness

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2
Q

What did Augustine’s theodicy begin with?

A

Genesis 1 with Adam and Eve in the Garden of eden, which was perfect with no suffering

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3
Q

What is the Hierarchy of Beings?

A

Angels then humans then animals

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4
Q

What are humans made in?

A

The image and likeness of God

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5
Q

What caused natural evil according to Augustine?

A

The Fall of Adam and Eve. They chose to disobey God and give in to temptation and pick the apple from the tree. This is what caused the disharmony in nature.

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6
Q

What caused moral evil according to Augustine?

A

The Angel Lucifer choosing to rebel against God

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7
Q

Why are all humans punished?

A

All humans are ‘seminally present’ in Adam, therefore all humans inherit Adam’s ‘original sin’ of picking the apple and the tendency to do evil because they were all present

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8
Q

How did sin and death enter the world?

A

Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve

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9
Q

Why does God allow evil?

A

Because all humans deserve to be punished for the original sin. God continues to allow evil and sustains a world in which moral and natural evil flourish

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10
Q

How does God provide a solution?

A

In Jesus who dies (self sacrifice) to save the people from Adam’s sin

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11
Q

What did God give humans?

A

Free will so they can choose to reject evil and choose good IF they accept the salvation Jesus brings

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12
Q

What did Augustine say happens at the end of a persons lifetime?

A

Judgement day. They will either be rewarded with eternal happiness

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13
Q

What time of theodicy is Augustine’s theodicy?

A

A soul-deciding theodicy

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14
Q

What is free will?

A

A valuable part of being a human being which allows them to make choices between good and evil.

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15
Q

What is the aesthetic argument?

A

Allowing evil enables us to appreciate the good

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16
Q

What are the weaknesses of Augustine’s theodicy?

A

Why did the very first creatures in the presence of God commit evil? Schleiermacher - If God created a perfect world, where did evil come from? If humans choose evil this suggests they must have had a knowledge of it which comes from God, biological errors, God created Hell which suggests he knew men would fail

17
Q

What are the strengths of Augustine’s theodicy?

A

Agrees with the Christian Bible, and recognises that humans are responsible for some evil in the world because they do a lot of evil