augustine on love and god. introduction introduction aurelius augustinus (354-430) aurelius...

Augustine on Love and Augustine on Love and GodGod

IntroductionIntroduction


Aurelius Augustinus (354-430)Aurelius Augustinus (354-430)


Fall of RomeFall of Rome


Fall of Rome (Divided)Fall of Rome (Divided)


Fall of Rome (Attacked)Fall of Rome (Attacked)


Fall of Rome (Sacked 410 AD)Fall of Rome (Sacked 410 AD)


Fall of Rome (Sacked 410 AD)Fall of Rome (Sacked 410 AD) Augustine in Augustine in De Civitate DeiDe Civitate Dei (City of (City of

God) tries to explain thisGod) tries to explain this


‘‘Salvation’ ReligionsSalvation’ Religions


‘‘Salvation’ ReligionsSalvation’ Religions Incompetence of EmpireIncompetence of Empire


‘‘Salvation’ ReligionsSalvation’ Religions Incompetence of EmpireIncompetence of Empire Oppression of common populaceOppression of common populace


‘‘Salvation’ ReligionsSalvation’ Religions Incompetence of EmpireIncompetence of Empire Oppression of common populaceOppression of common populace Irrelevance of philosophers’ ideals and Irrelevance of philosophers’ ideals and

recommendations for livingrecommendations for living



recommendations for livingrecommendations for living Seek help elsewhereSeek help elsewhere




Mithra, Isis, Cybele and Attis, … Christ.Mithra, Isis, Cybele and Attis, … Christ.




Mithra, Isis, Cybele and Attis, … Christ.Mithra, Isis, Cybele and Attis, … Christ. Constantine accepts Christianity in Empire, Constantine accepts Christianity in Empire,

313 AD313 AD


Jewish EthicsJewish Ethics


Jewish EthicsJewish Ethics Follow the Law!Follow the Law!



the observance of the the observance of the

commandments is notcommandments is not

conditional on conditional on

understandingunderstanding them them



the observance of the the observance of the

commandments is notcommandments is not

conditional on conditional on

understandingunderstanding them them Ten Commandments Ten Commandments


Christian ethics is normative, and Christian ethics is normative, and the norms are set by known, fixed the norms are set by known, fixed statements of Lawstatements of Law


Problem of EvilProblem of Evil


Problem of EvilProblem of Evil How can there be Evil in the World?How can there be Evil in the World?



ManichaeansManichaeans – Two principles: one Good, – Two principles: one Good, one Badone Bad



Christians – Christians – God is all-powerfulGod is all-powerful

God wishes all good thingsGod wishes all good things

Therefore there are all Therefore there are all good things.good things.

But there are also Evil But there are also Evil things.things.

How?How?



Stoics – Stoics – Evil and Good can only exist Evil and Good can only exist togethertogether

Man can reason faultilyMan can reason faultily

Evils are only apparent, Evils are only apparent, not real.not real.



Stoics – Stoics – Evil and Good can only exist Evil and Good can only exist togethertogether

Man can reason faultilyMan can reason faultily

Evils are only apparent, not Evils are only apparent, not real.real.

Augustine agrees:Augustine agrees:

he saw every thing that he had made, and, he saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very goodbehold, it was very good


Problem of EvilProblem of Evil Why do we do wrong?Why do we do wrong?



Original Sin Original Sin – we are naturally prone to be – we are naturally prone to be naughtynaughty




We have We have Free WillFree Will





Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: he once stole some pears, and didn’t even he once stole some pears, and didn’t even eat them. Why?eat them. Why?





Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: he once stole some pears, and didn’t even he once stole some pears, and didn’t even eat them. Why?eat them. Why?

Just to enjoy the freedom of theft!Just to enjoy the freedom of theft!





Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: he Augustine tells us how he enjoyed sinning: he once stole some pears, and didn’t even eat once stole some pears, and didn’t even eat them. Why?them. Why?

Just to enjoy the freedom of theft!Just to enjoy the freedom of theft! Discipline the Will! Want what is right!Discipline the Will! Want what is right!


Christians take the Will rather than Christians take the Will rather than the Act to be the principal carrier of the Act to be the principal carrier of moral value in humansmoral value in humans

The Order of LoveThe Order of Love


How should the will be shaped?How should the will be shaped?


How should the will be shaped?How should the will be shaped? Do what it takes to achieve Happiness – Do what it takes to achieve Happiness –

eudaimonia, beatitudo eudaimonia, beatitudo (which is not just (which is not just ‘blessedness’)‘blessedness’)


How should the will be shaped?How should the will be shaped? Do what it takes to achieve Happiness – Do what it takes to achieve Happiness –

eudaimonia, beatitudo eudaimonia, beatitudo (which is not just (which is not just ‘blessedness’)‘blessedness’)

Contra most pagan philosophers, this is Contra most pagan philosophers, this is not entirely up to the individualnot entirely up to the individual


Immortality is required for Immortality is required for happinesshappiness



So accept there is a heaven to reachSo accept there is a heaven to reach



So accept there is a heaven to reachSo accept there is a heaven to reach Act so as to reach it Act so as to reach it



So accept there is a heaven to reachSo accept there is a heaven to reach Act so as to reach it Act so as to reach it Obey God’s (New Testament) Obey God’s (New Testament)

commandscommands


Immortality is required for happinessImmortality is required for happiness So accept there is a heaven to reachSo accept there is a heaven to reach Act so as to reach it Act so as to reach it Obey God’s (New Testament) commandsObey God’s (New Testament) commands

1.1. Love God above all.Love God above all.

2.2. Love your neighbour as you love Love your neighbour as you love yourselfyourself..


Immortality is required for happinessImmortality is required for happiness So accept there is a heaven to reachSo accept there is a heaven to reach Act so as to reach it Act so as to reach it Obey God’s (New Testament) commandsObey God’s (New Testament) commands

1.1. Love God above allLove God above all

2.2. Love your neighbour as you love Love your neighbour as you love yourselfyourself

Isn’t this a bit self-interested to be real Isn’t this a bit self-interested to be real love?love?


Love can be justified without Love can be justified without commandscommands



Happiness requires loving right thingsHappiness requires loving right thingsThe title ‘happy’ cannot, in my opinion, belong either The title ‘happy’ cannot, in my opinion, belong either to him who has not what he loves, whatever it may be, to him who has not what he loves, whatever it may be, or to him who has what he loves if it is hurtful, or to or to him who has what he loves if it is hurtful, or to him who does not love what he has, although it is him who does not love what he has, although it is good in perfectiongood in perfection



Happiness requires loving right thingsHappiness requires loving right things There is a hierarchy of thingsThere is a hierarchy of things

(According to the Neo-Platonists)(According to the Neo-Platonists)

God

Angels

Humans

Horses

Insects

Rocks

Nothing



Happiness requires loving right thingsHappiness requires loving right things There is a hierarchy of thingsThere is a hierarchy of things They are of declining changeabilityThey are of declining changeability

God

Angels

Humans

Horses

Insects

Rocks

Nothing



Happiness requires loving right thingsHappiness requires loving right things There is a hierarchy of thingsThere is a hierarchy of things They are of declining changeabilityThey are of declining changeability Love the least changeableLove the least changeable

and most perfectand most perfect

God

Angels

Humans

Horses

Insects

Rocks

Nothing




and most perfectand most perfect Happiness is in Loving GodHappiness is in Loving God

God

Angels

Humans

Horses

Insects

Rocks

Nothing




and most perfectand most perfect Happiness is in Loving GodHappiness is in Loving God

If we find something which is both superior to man, and can If we find something which is both superior to man, and can be possessed by the man who loves it, who can doubt that in be possessed by the man who loves it, who can doubt that in seeking for happiness man should endeavour to reach thatseeking for happiness man should endeavour to reach that


Love and the worth of othersLove and the worth of others


Love and the worth of othersLove and the worth of others The hierarchy of things gives theirThe hierarchy of things gives their

absolute valueabsolute valueGod

Angels

Humans

Horses

Insects

Rocks

Nothing



absolute valueabsolute value We tend to use a scale of We tend to use a scale of instrumental instrumental

values values determined by advantage to usdetermined by advantage to us




values values determined by advantage to usdetermined by advantage to us We are wrong to value ourselves We are wrong to value ourselves

absolutely and others instrumentallyabsolutely and others instrumentally




values values determined by advantage to usdetermined by advantage to us We are wrong to value ourselves We are wrong to value ourselves

absolutely and others instrumentallyabsolutely and others instrumentally Love others as ourselvesLove others as ourselves


A virtuous person treats others A virtuous person treats others according to their absolute value according to their absolute value and loves God above alland loves God above all

Failure to order your love in this Failure to order your love in this way is a failure of willway is a failure of will

Law and GraceLaw and Grace


Any rational person can become Any rational person can become virtuousvirtuous



The The Lex Aeterna Lex Aeterna is the law is the law derivable by reasonderivable by reason




The assistance of God is required The assistance of God is required to understand the Lawto understand the Law




The assistance of God is required The assistance of God is required to understand the Lawto understand the Law

His assistance is His assistance is GraceGrace, a gift to , a gift to undeserving personsundeserving persons



The The Lex Aeterna Lex Aeterna is the law derivable is the law derivable by reasonby reason

The assistance of God is required to The assistance of God is required to understand the Lawunderstand the Law

His assistance is His assistance is GraceGrace, a gift to , a gift to undeserving personsundeserving persons

So Happiness requires GodSo Happiness requires God

PeacePeace

PeacePeace

Lex TemporalisLex Temporalis is the law Man is the law Man makes makes

PeacePeace


To preserve peaceTo preserve peace

PeacePeace


To preserve peaceTo preserve peace Peace requires justice Peace requires justice

(Justice = proper order of values)(Justice = proper order of values)

PeacePeace


To preserve peaceTo preserve peace Peace requires justice Peace requires justice

(Justice = proper order of values)(Justice = proper order of values) Peace can only exist in HeavenPeace can only exist in Heaven

SummarySummary

Christian additions to Western ethical Christian additions to Western ethical values:values:

sinsin, , lovelove of God and one’s fellow man, of God and one’s fellow man, humilityhumility, , kindnesskindness, , forgivenessforgiveness, , mercymercy

Christian additional emphasis on:Christian additional emphasis on: Importance of Importance of WillWill Acceptance of ultimate Acceptance of ultimate Worth of OthersWorth of Others Belief in Belief in Lawful Lawful order of thingsorder of things

augustine on love and god. introduction introduction aurelius augustinus (354-430) aurelius...

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