St. Augustine: The Problem of Evil

Learning outcomes:

1. Understand St. Augustine’s approach to the Problem of Evil.
2. Explore the metaphysical underpinnings of evil as non-being.
3. Delve into Augustine’s theodicy and its basis in free will.
4. Examine the relationship between goodness, God, and creation in Augustine’s philosophy.

The Context of Evil in Augustine’s Thought

The Problem of Evil is a fundamental question in Medieval Philosophy, particularly concerning the nature of God and the existence of evil. For St. Augustine, this question was critical as it challenged the benevolence, omnipotence, and omniscience of God. How could a perfectly good God allow the existence of evil? Augustine’s response, grounded in his metaphysical, theological, and epistemological framework, offers one of the most influential theodicies in Western philosophy.

Augustine’s Concept of God and Creation

Augustine’s understanding of evil must be seen in the context of his broader philosophical framework about God and Creation.

1. God as Supreme Good: Augustine holds that God is the Supreme Good, the source of all goodness. God’s nature is immutably good, and everything that comes from God is inherently good. According to Augustine, the very act of creation is a reflection of God’s goodness.

2. Creatio ex nihilo (Creation out of nothing): Augustine argues that God creates the world from nothing. This implies that creation is dependent on God for its existence. Everything in creation is good, but its goodness is finite and mutable because it exists within time and space, unlike God who is eternal and unchanging.

3. Hierarchy of Being: Augustine proposes a hierarchy of being, where beings are arranged according to their proximity to God’s perfection. God, as the ultimate being, is at the top, followed by angels, human beings, animals, and other lower forms of life. The goodness of these beings is relative to their place in this hierarchy.

Important Note:
Augustine’s concept of creation and goodness sets the foundation for his understanding of evil as a privation rather than a substance.

The Nature of Evil: Privation Theory

The core of Augustine’s solution to the Problem of Evil lies in his privation theory of evil. Unlike Manichean dualism, which posits that good and evil are two opposing forces, Augustine argues that evil is not a positive substance but a privation of good.

1. Evil as the Absence of Good: Augustine argues that evil does not exist as a substance in itself. Instead, it is the absence or privation of goodness in a being. Just as darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat, evil is the absence of goodness. This understanding means that evil does not require an independent metaphysical status but is rather a lack or corruption of something inherently good.

2. Metaphysical Non-being: Since Augustine denies that evil is a substance, he concludes that it is a form of non-being. While beings participate in the goodness of God to various degrees, the less good a being is, the closer it is to non-existence. Evil, then, is not a competing force against good but rather a diminution or degradation of being.

3. Corruption and Deviation: Augustine emphasizes that evil manifests itself as a corruption of a naturally good being. It occurs when a being turns away from its proper order, which is to reflect and participate in the goodness of God. For example, a human being is good by nature, but when a person chooses to act against their nature (i.e., in a way that deviates from God’s will), they experience moral evil.

Free Will and Moral Evil

The concept of free will plays a critical role in Augustine’s explanation of moral evil. He argues that the root cause of moral evil lies in the misuse of human freedom.

1. Gift of Free Will: Augustine argues that free will is an essential part of being made in the image of God. It allows human beings to make genuine choices and act according to their rational nature. However, free will also entails the potential to choose wrongly.

2. The Fall of Humanity: According to Augustine, moral evil enters the world through the Fall of Adam and Eve. Their act of disobedience represents a deliberate turning away from the ultimate good (God) towards a lesser good (themselves). This act of choosing a finite good over the infinite good of God is the essence of sin.

3. Pride and Self-Love: Augustine identifies pride as the fundamental cause of sin. Pride is a form of self-love that leads individuals to elevate themselves above their proper place in the cosmic order. In this way, the will becomes disordered, and individuals begin to pursue their own desires rather than the will of God.

Process Flow:
Free will → Disordered desire → Turning away from God → Moral evil.

Natural Evil and Divine Justice

While moral evil is the result of human free will, Augustine also addresses the existence of natural evil (e.g., disease, natural disasters) and its relationship to divine justice.

1. Punishment for Sin: Augustine holds that natural evils are often a consequence of sin. For example, the suffering and death experienced by human beings are consequences of original sin. In this view, natural evil is a form of divine punishment that serves to remind humanity of its fallen state.

2. Natural Order and Greater Good: Augustine also argues that some forms of natural evil may be part of the natural order of creation and serve a greater good. Just as a surgeon may cause pain to heal a patient, some natural evils may contribute to the overall goodness of creation.

3. Mystery of Providence: Augustine recognizes that not all instances of evil can be fully explained by human reasoning. However, he affirms that all things ultimately serve God’s divine plan (Providence), even if their immediate purpose is not clear to us.

Important Note:
Augustine’s appeal to divine justice and providence suggests that the existence of evil is not a challenge to God’s goodness but part of a broader cosmic order that transcends human understanding.

Comparative Table: Augustine’s Theodicy vs. Manichean Dualism

Augustine’s Theodicy: A Synthesis of Free Will and Divine Goodness

Augustine’s solution to the Problem of Evil rests on his synthesis of free will, privation theory, and divine goodness.

1. Evil as a Lack of Good: Augustine’s metaphysical framework posits that evil is a deficiency rather than an independent force, allowing him to maintain that God’s creation is fundamentally good.

2. Human Responsibility: Moral evil is the result of human misuse of free will, which reflects a disorder in the human will rather than a flaw in God’s design.

3. Divine Providence: Augustine’s belief in divine providence ensures that all instances of evil ultimately serve a greater good, even if their purpose is not immediately clear to us.

MCQ:
According to Augustine, what is the nature of evil?
a) A substance that exists independently
b) A necessary part of creation
c) The absence or privation of good
d) A force that opposes God

Correct Answer: c) The absence or privation of good