Augustine’s teaching on human nature
Key Terms:
Will: the part of human nature that makes free choices
Sin: disobeying the will and commands of God
Grace: God’s free and undeserved love for humanity, epitomised in the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross
The Fall: the biblical event in which Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s
command and ate the fruit from the forbidden tree in the Garden of
Eden; also used to refer to the imperfect state of humanity
Neoplatonism: philosophical thinking arising from the ideas of Plato
Redeemed: ‘saved’ from sin by the sacrifice of Christ
Concordia: human friendship
Cupiditas: ‘selfish love’, a love of worldly things of selfish desires
Caritas: ‘generous love’, a love of others and of the virtues – equivalent
of agape
Concupiscence: uncontrollable desire for physical pleasures and material
things
Ecclesia: heavenly society, in contrast with earthly society
Summum bonum: the highest, most supreme good
Key Terms:
Will: the part of human nature that makes free choices
Sin: disobeying the will and commands of God
Grace: God’s free and undeserved love for humanity, epitomised in the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross
The Fall: the biblical event in which Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s
command and ate the fruit from the forbidden tree in the Garden of
Eden; also used to refer to the imperfect state of humanity
Neoplatonism: philosophical thinking arising from the ideas of Plato
Redeemed: ‘saved’ from sin by the sacrifice of Christ
Concordia: human friendship
Cupiditas: ‘selfish love’, a love of worldly things of selfish desires
Caritas: ‘generous love’, a love of others and of the virtues – equivalent
of agape
Concupiscence: uncontrollable desire for physical pleasures and material
things
Ecclesia: heavenly society, in contrast with earthly society
Summum bonum: the highest, most supreme good
