Glossary - Augustine: Human Nature

Will

The part of human nature that makes free choices

Sin

Disobeying the will and commands of God

Grace

In theological terms, 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

• believe that the soul can ascend to merge with the one (or God) where it encounters truth, wisdom and happiness

Redeemed

In theological terms, ‘saved; from sin bt the sacrifice of Chrust

Concordia

Human friendship

Cupiditas

‘selfish love’, a love of wordly things and of selfish desires

Caritas

‘generous love’, a love of others and of the virtues: the Latin equivalent of the Greek word agree

Concupiscence

Uncontrollable desire for physical pleasures and material things

Ecclesia

Heavily society, in contrast with earthly society

Summum bonum

the highest, most supreme good

Esoteric

teachings only intended to be understood by a small number of people with specialised knowledge

Manicheism

form of  esoteric Christianity: suffering and evil in the world are not caused by God but by a lower power (Satan)

Akrasia

weakness of will

Continence

self-restraint especially to abstain from sexual pleasures

Post-Lapsarian

the world after the Fall of Adam and Eve: fallen world