Augustine

Question 1

Doctrine of original sin

Answer 1

• official response to Pelagius’
• The original sin = first instance of disobedience of humanity to God
• Augustine believed that sin became a radical defect of all human characters
• Augustine called this defect ‘concupiscence’
• This means a strong desire for earthly pleasures as opposed to having the desire to know and love God

Question 2

Concupiscence

Answer 2

Concupiscence is passed on from Adam + Eve for two reasons
1) All humanity is related to Adam + Eve - we all share the guilt
2) All humans are born from sexual intercourse, which itself is a result of concupiscence
- Concupiscence through being seminally present in the loins of Adam + being born through sex = Massa Peccati AKA ‘lump of sin’

Question 3

Massa Peccati

Answer 3

• Augustine illustrated massa peccati by stating humanity is incapable of doing anything good by free choice
• Therefore, for Augustine humanity’s ability to freely choose is infected with sin and are predestined to sin

Question 4

Liberum Arbitrium

Answer 4

• Augustine still believed that humanity was born from free will
• moral agents have an essential human nature (Liberum Arbitriam - which means that a moral agent has the power of making choices that are free from predestination
• However concupiscence is dominant and overrides it

Question 5

The elect

Answer 5

• By God’s grace a few people are saved from their sinful secondary nature of concupiscence
• No person can ask for it or do anything to deserve it
• Grace is given randomly to a small fixed number of people