INSTRUCTIONS
St. Augustine is an early church father who contributed mightily to the field of Christian theology and Christian philosophy. Famously, he gave a definition of what ‘evil’ is. In this discussion, you will address the following two questions.
First, in the 4th-5th century, Augustine defined evil as a falling away from the good. Do you think one can still retain, benefit from, and defend this definition today? Discuss critically, keeping in mind the first Discussion about whether or not one should try to define ‘good’ and ‘evil.’
Secondly, do you think that Augustine’s answer to the question, ‘what is the origin of evil,’ is theologically and philosophically right? Do you think it is consistent and coherent with the biblical text? Why or why not? You must document your sources to support your case, including textbooks and presentations.
ANSWER
One can still retain, benefit, and defend the definition by Augustine that evil is the falling away from the good. When God created the universe, everything was perfect and good, both humans, animals, and non-living things. However, the man turned away from good, the original righteousness of God. As a result, suffering and pain came into the world. Therefore, according to Augustine, evil lacks its existence, making it a privation of good. The badness and misuse of human free will or bad choices led to all kinds of evils; metaphysical, physical, and moral. Although physical evil is independent of human volition, it results from the disorder of… To access full answer, use the purchase button below.