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3 - Augustine on evil and original sin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2006

By
William E. Mann
Edited by
Eleonore Stump  and
Norman Kretzmann
Eleonore Stump
Affiliation:
St Louis University, Missouri
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Summary

Before his conversion to Christianity, Augustine conceived of God as a supremely good being who is “incorruptible, inviolable, and immutable ” (Conf. 7.1.1). At the same time, he was aware of the existence of evil in the world, evil that can be divided into two major classes. First, physical objects have limitations and defects. In particular, the limitations of living things result in hardship, pain, illness, and death. Secondly, there are people who behave wickedly and whose souls are characterized by such vices as pride, envy, greed, and lust.

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The Cambridge Companion to Augustine , pp. 40 - 48
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2001

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