Augustinian Type Theodicies

Augustinian Type Theodicies

Augustine was a 4^th/5^th century Christian Bishop who argued with the problem of evil throughout his life (354 AD – 430 AD). Lots of his ideas were simplified and were influenced by Neo-Platonism, Manichaeism, and other thought systems.

Evil as the Consequence of Sin –

According to Augustine’s theodicy, the world was originally created free from sin, by God ex nihilo, and evil only existed when angels and humans used their free will to turn away from God. 

Humans and angels are both part of God’s created order and can change so have the capability to turn from God. This turning is what brings about evil but the reason that angels and humans turn will always remain a mystery beyond our understanding.

As the gift of free will entails moral responsibility, it is humans that are responsible for sin and, as a consequence, evil – not God. This is because sin was voluntarily chosen.

Evil as a Privation –

Evil is not a part of God’s created order or is a substance in itself. This means God did not make evil as he is an omnibenevolent creator, according to Augustine.

Evil instead indicates an absence of good.

God made everything good but with the potential to be corrupted as everything in the created order is susceptible to change. Having this potential is not evil but the fact things can corrupt shows, in nature, they are good.

The Fall of Humans and their Suffering –

Augustine believed that all humans were descended from Adam and Eve and all humans share in their sin. As we share in this sin and guilt, we also deserve to face the same punishment. We suffer through ‘moral evil’ as that is human’s fault for actions made because of free will and we suffer through ‘natural evil’ as a result of evil caused by turning from God, bringing corruption into the created order.

The common question…