1. Lecture 8: True Religion and Morality
Dr. Ann T. Orlando

2. Outline Evil On True Religion (De vera religione) Love; not an emotion
Homilies on the First Epistle of John

3. Evil Evil is the obstacle to the prevents the happy life
But what is evil
‘Theodicy problem’: how can there be a evil and suffering and at the same time a good, loving, creator God
Possible solutions:
There is no god (Epicurus)
Creator god not good (so Gnostics, Manichees)
Evil is not a substance, but rather an absence from the creation of the good God (so Plotinus)

4. Plotinus ( AD)
Alexandrian philosopher, considered himself a Platonist
Contemporary of Origen and Mani
Subsequently referred to as a ‘Platonist’;
Term Neoplatonism an invention of 19th C
Developed a metaphysics of the One
Good spiritual creator God
Simple, self-caused and cause of all else
Problem: Then how can there be evil
Solution evil is the absence of a good that should be there
Evil does not have an independent existence
Ethics based on soul’s return to the One
Spiritual progression in steps to the One
Sin is turning away from approaching the One

5. Biblical Approach to Evil
Natural Evil
Suffering and difficulties are teachers
God’s response to Job: there is no answer that man can understand
Moral Evil
Result of man’s freedom to choose
Proclivity to evil and original sin

6. Augustine
In the Confessions Evil the key question for Augustine; it is what prevents him from being happy
Starts his turn away from Catholicism over this question (Confessions Book III)
Return begins with the solution found in the books of the Platonists (Confessions Book VII)
Recall “On Free Choice of the Will” begins with the question of evil.

7. Review from our previous study
Review from previous study
Happiness only found in highest good, the Trinity
Truth in likewise only found in the Trinity
We need proper authority to help us search for the Truth
Without Truth, language has no meaning
Now lets think about morality
Without Truth, we cannot know what the moral life is
Even seemingly ‘good’ works (virtues) are not so if not directed toward proper end

8. What does this imply about how we are to live
Without Truth we cannot know what the moral life is
How we live should be pointed to achieving our ultimate end, the Happy Life
Even if we engage in some ‘good’ works (virtues) they are not really part of a moral life if not directed to the Happy Life

9. Triadic Structure of Our Life in Church (Is 7:9, LXX)
Illuminated by grace at each step
We begin with belief, based on authority of the Church;
We move (are moved) to an understanding of what we believe;
We move (are moved) by this understanding to act in love

10. Augustine and Human Distorted Desires
Human proclivity to sin is a result of original sin
Without grace, man always will fall into sin
Charity (grace, gift of the Holy Spirit) is the only virtue

11. Triadic Structure of Our Sins
Sin against belief is pride
Reliance on ourselves as the beginning (and end)
Sin against knowledge is curiosity
Knowledge for its own sake
Sin against love is cupidity
Wanting the wrong things

12. On True Religion
Addressed to Romanianus, Augustine’s wealthy sponsor from Thagaste
Augustine’s education in Carthage
Augustine encouraged him to become a Manichean hearer
Cassiciacum was an estate owned by Romanianus
De Vera Religione encourages Romanianus to leave the Manicheans and become a Catholic Christian
Written just before Augustine’s ordination in 390
See Letter 15

13. Structure On True Religion
Prolog (i.1-x.20)
Discussion of Plato and Platonism
Why Plato would be a Christian if alive
Section A (xi.21-xxiv.45)
Discussion of problem of evil
Section B (xxv.46-liv.106)
Ascent to God
Begins with authority and who to believe
Stages of spiritual growth
Rational mind searching for the truth which is above it
Conclusion (lv )

14. Read the Retractions I.xiii
Phantasms = vain thoughts (#2)
Sin is voluntary evil (#5)
Miracles do occur now, by the grace of Christ acting through others (e.g. martyrs) (#7)

15. Augustine and Love Amor, dilectio, caritas
In Augustine, amor and dilectio can be directed to the cause of good or bad intents leading to good or bad actions
Dilectio seems to be used associated with the love of things that we enjoy
Caritas seems to be used almost exclusively for the love (charity) within the Trinity, and our approach to that love; as in Deus caritas est
Caritas seems to have the same relation to amor that sapientia has to scientia

16. Homilies on the First Epistle of John
Delivered during the octave of Easter
Follows the liturgical readings of the day
But the occasion may have been more like ‘adult education’ rather than delivered during the liturgy
Presumes a rather high level of knowledge and understanding
Augustine himself titles these homilies ‘tractatus’ or tractates
Augustine's homilies are the first extensive commentary on I John

17. Belief Understand Love
Both De Trinitate and On True Religion get us to the verge of love
The tractates on 1 John focus on love (caritas) and how love should direct our actions
Key points
If we know, we should love, for knowledge apart from charity does not save. Homily 2.8
Note extended discussion o 1John 2:15-16 in Homily similar to On True Religion xxxviii.69-71
The handing over of the Son: That the Father and Son did this in charity, but that Judas did it in betrayal. You see that it is not what a person does that must be taken into consideration but with what mind and will he does it. Homily 7.7
Once for all then a brief precept is given to you: Love and do what you want. Homily 7.8
Love is a sweet word, but a sweeter deed. Homily 8.1

18. Evil in Medieval Thought
Basically Augustine
Example: Aquinas in ST Ia addresses evil in general
Evil has no existence in reality
Evil cannot exist without the presence of some good
Note: Church still follows Augustine in this, see definition of evil in CCC glossary

19. Petrarch and Reception of On True Religion
Well known for his reading of Confessions
In his Secrets, he has Augustine as an imaginary interlocutor
In which Augustine frequently cites On True Religion
Petrarch noted in his copy of On True Religion how valuable it was to him
Petrarch asked to be buried in Pavia, in the same church as Augustine

20. Assignment On True Religion Revisions Letter 15
Homilies on the First Epistle of John Prolog, Homily 2, 7, 8.

21. Some Works Consulted
Smith, J. Warren. “Loving the Many in the One: Augustine and the Love of Finite Goods,” Religions (11)
Levering, Matthew. Theology of Augustine. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, Ch. 3