Philosophy - Explain Augustine Theodicy

Hey is there any chance anyone can read through this essay for me and give me a rough estimate of a mark/ grade? My teacher hasn't marked any of my essays I have given her and I know its late but I have only just been told. Thankyou.

Augustine based many of his beliefs on the bible and believed very strongly in its stories and books. He believed that there was a God, and that God is good, omnipotent and omniscient. Augustine took many of the stories to be literal, for example the creation story in genesis. With Adam and Eve.
Augustine came up with his theodicy to prove Gods existence as omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient and solve the problem of evil and suffering in the world. He began by explaining that God was perfect, therefore he must have created a perfect world. If God created a perfect world, however, then why would evil and suffering exist? Augustine believed that God created everything in existence, but that God didn’t create evil as evil does not exist and is actually just a privation of goodness. This means lacking good. For example, there is no such thing as darkness it is just the lack of light, therefore, though, God creates evil as God created human beings with free will and allows them to lack goodness by choosing to. However no one can truly be evil as to lack something you needed to have started off with it, therefore all human beings have the ability to be good. Therefore, for Augustine, this proves God’s existence as he created humans perfect and only a perfect and good God and create something that is good and perfect.
Augustine also said that humans choose to deliberately turn away from God and that is where evil comes from and why there is evil in the world, as humans are choosing to be evil over doing the right thing and being good to achieve their perfection. This is because God gave humans free will over their actions, but Augustine goes on to say that only God can be perfect, therefore evil is necessary as humans cannot be perfect so must have some evil in them. So the fact that humans are evil must prove that God exists as humans are not perfect so try to achieve perfection which is God.
Furthermore Augustine took the bible in a literal sense and believed it to be completely true and not an interpretation. Augustine then believed that Adam and Eve chose to turn away from God in the Garden of Eden, and that by doing this they brought disharmony to the garden. Augustine also says that all humans were seminally present in Adam, therefore all humans were apart of Adam when he committed the sin in the garden and so we all carry that sin with us, this means that we are all born with sin and no one is born perfect. Augustine would say then that all humans are born with a privation of good.
Also Augustine would say that Humans are to blame for all the natural evil in the world as well as the moral evil, as human action disrupts the natural order of things in the world, therefore causes natural evil to occur. This means that all humans, therefore, have the original sin as they all participated in it through Adam, as Adam was a representative of the human race, because of this we are sinful in nature and therefore deserve to be punished. For Augustine Humans can redeem themselves through their punishment, this proves then that God is omnipotent and omniscient as he knows what we have done and how we can make up for it. Natural evil is our punishment as is originates from the disorder humans brought to the world with original sin.
Finally Augustine believes that does not intervene with his creation as he sees that there has not been a stop to suffering in the world, and Augustine believes that God is right to be transcendent from his creation, but Augustine does believe that God sent Jesus Christ to save some. According to Augustine God had to create free creatures in order for humans to be in his likeness, but God – being omniscient- saw the fall and is right not to intervene as humans brought the pain and suffering on to themselves by their own actions. This proves that God obviously planned our redemption then and that by sending us down Christ he has allowed us to have reconciliation and atonement with him. Augustine says that ‘Whoever confesses his sins…is already working with God.’, this means that he believes that for humans to become in his likeness we need to get rid of all our sins and become at one with God. This is what God tried to do by sending his son, Christ, down to earth. This shows that God is omnibenevolent as he is ready to forgive us even though we have sinned against him, it also shows he is omniscient as he can forgive our sins and put it right again. If God was just, everyone would go to hell, but God is also merciful and proved this by sending down Jesus. Augustine also points out though that we must choose to accept Gods mercy.
In conclusion Augustine’s theodicy presents a very compelling argument as it gives a good strong explanation for the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent God and why He created a world with evil and suffering present in it.

Reply 1

jonpetts

7

Hey!

That's a pretty good answer!

Are you sure Augustine said humans can redeem themselves? (you mention this near the end). I wonder if he'd phrase it more that God can redeem them, although you might have something that says otherwise - not sure.

However, a pretty extensive and strong answer.

If you want a silly video I made outlining the main points for my A-Level class, have a look at the following...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IssMtMXKUqQ#aid=P-uNFUGiAug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IssMtMXKUqQ#aid=P-uNFUGiAug

Yes, I'm driving my car and it's irresponsible but all the main points are there! Coming soon... Irenaeus!

Original post by KatLow

Hey is there any chance anyone can read through this essay for me and give me a rough estimate of a mark/ grade? My teacher hasn't marked any of my essays I have given her and I know its late but I have only just been told. Thankyou.

Augustine based many of his beliefs on the bible and believed very strongly in its stories and books. He believed that there was a God, and that God is good, omnipotent and omniscient. Augustine took many of the stories to be literal, for example the creation story in genesis. With Adam and Eve.
Augustine came up with his theodicy to prove Gods existence as omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient and solve the problem of evil and suffering in the world. He began by explaining that God was perfect, therefore he must have created a perfect world. If God created a perfect world, however, then why would evil and suffering exist? Augustine believed that God created everything in existence, but that God didn’t create evil as evil does not exist and is actually just a privation of goodness. This means lacking good. For example, there is no such thing as darkness it is just the lack of light, therefore, though, God creates evil as God created human beings with free will and allows them to lack goodness by choosing to. However no one can truly be evil as to lack something you needed to have started off with it, therefore all human beings have the ability to be good. Therefore, for Augustine, this proves God’s existence as he created humans perfect and only a perfect and good God and create something that is good and perfect.
Augustine also said that humans choose to deliberately turn away from God and that is where evil comes from and why there is evil in the world, as humans are choosing to be evil over doing the right thing and being good to achieve their perfection. This is because God gave humans free will over their actions, but Augustine goes on to say that only God can be perfect, therefore evil is necessary as humans cannot be perfect so must have some evil in them. So the fact that humans are evil must prove that God exists as humans are not perfect so try to achieve perfection which is God.
Furthermore Augustine took the bible in a literal sense and believed it to be completely true and not an interpretation. Augustine then believed that Adam and Eve chose to turn away from God in the Garden of Eden, and that by doing this they brought disharmony to the garden. Augustine also says that all humans were seminally present in Adam, therefore all humans were apart of Adam when he committed the sin in the garden and so we all carry that sin with us, this means that we are all born with sin and no one is born perfect. Augustine would say then that all humans are born with a privation of good.
Also Augustine would say that Humans are to blame for all the natural evil in the world as well as the moral evil, as human action disrupts the natural order of things in the world, therefore causes natural evil to occur. This means that all humans, therefore, have the original sin as they all participated in it through Adam, as Adam was a representative of the human race, because of this we are sinful in nature and therefore deserve to be punished. For Augustine Humans can redeem themselves through their punishment, this proves then that God is omnipotent and omniscient as he knows what we have done and how we can make up for it. Natural evil is our punishment as is originates from the disorder humans brought to the world with original sin.
Finally Augustine believes that does not intervene with his creation as he sees that there has not been a stop to suffering in the world, and Augustine believes that God is right to be transcendent from his creation, but Augustine does believe that God sent Jesus Christ to save some. According to Augustine God had to create free creatures in order for humans to be in his likeness, but God – being omniscient- saw the fall and is right not to intervene as humans brought the pain and suffering on to themselves by their own actions. This proves that God obviously planned our redemption then and that by sending us down Christ he has allowed us to have reconciliation and atonement with him. Augustine says that ‘Whoever confesses his sins…is already working with God.’, this means that he believes that for humans to become in his likeness we need to get rid of all our sins and become at one with God. This is what God tried to do by sending his son, Christ, down to earth. This shows that God is omnibenevolent as he is ready to forgive us even though we have sinned against him, it also shows he is omniscient as he can forgive our sins and put it right again. If God was just, everyone would go to hell, but God is also merciful and proved this by sending down Jesus. Augustine also points out though that we must choose to accept Gods mercy.
In conclusion Augustine’s theodicy presents a very compelling argument as it gives a good strong explanation for the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, and benevolent God and why He created a world with evil and suffering present in it.

Reply 2

KatLow

OP

2

Original post by jonpetts

Hey!

That's a pretty good answer!

Are you sure Augustine said humans can redeem themselves? (you mention this near the end). I wonder if he'd phrase it more that God can redeem them, although you might have something that says otherwise - not sure.

However, a pretty extensive and strong answer.

If you want a silly video I made outlining the main points for my A-Level class, have a look at the following...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IssMtMXKUqQ#aid=P-uNFUGiAug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IssMtMXKUqQ#aid=P-uNFUGiAug

Yes, I'm driving my car and it's irresponsible but all the main points are there! Coming soon... Irenaeus!

Thankyou do you know what mark you would say it is or grade? I am trying to get a rough idea where I am - my teachers are being so unhelpful, btw it was out of 25.