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On the Nature of Good
"On the Nature of Good" is part of The Fig Classic Series on Early Church Theology. To view more books in our catalog, visit us at fig-books.com.
- GenresTheologyPhilosophy
62 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 395
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About the author
Augustine of Hippo
3,339 books2,015 followersEarly church father and philosopher Saint Augustine served from 396 as the bishop of Hippo in present-day Algeria and through such writings as the autobiographical
Confessions
in 397 and the voluminous
City of God
from 413 to 426 profoundly influenced Christianity, argued against Manichaeism and Donatism, and helped to establish the doctrine of original sin.
An Augustinian follows the principles and doctrines of Saint Augustine.
People also know Aurelius Augustinus in English of Regius (Annaba). From the Africa province of the Roman Empire, people generally consider this Latin theologian of the greatest thinkers of all times. He very developed the west. According to Jerome, a contemporary, Augustine renewed "the ancient Faith."
The Neo-Platonism of Plotinus afterward heavily weighed his years. After conversion and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to theology and accommodated a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed in the indispensable grace to human freedom and framed the concept of just war. When the Western Roman Empire started to disintegrate from the material earth, Augustine developed the concept of the distinct Catholic spirituality in a book of the same name. He thought the medieval worldview. Augustine closely identified with the community that worshiped the Trinity. The Catholics and the Anglican communion revere this preeminent doctor. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider his due teaching on salvation and divine grace of the theology of the Reformation. The Eastern Orthodox also consider him. He carries the additional title of blessed. The Orthodox call him "Blessed Augustine" or "Saint Augustine the Blessed."
Santo Agostinho
An Augustinian follows the principles and doctrines of Saint Augustine.
People also know Aurelius Augustinus in English of Regius (Annaba). From the Africa province of the Roman Empire, people generally consider this Latin theologian of the greatest thinkers of all times. He very developed the west. According to Jerome, a contemporary, Augustine renewed "the ancient Faith."
The Neo-Platonism of Plotinus afterward heavily weighed his years. After conversion and his baptism in 387, Augustine developed his own approach to theology and accommodated a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed in the indispensable grace to human freedom and framed the concept of just war. When the Western Roman Empire started to disintegrate from the material earth, Augustine developed the concept of the distinct Catholic spirituality in a book of the same name. He thought the medieval worldview. Augustine closely identified with the community that worshiped the Trinity. The Catholics and the Anglican communion revere this preeminent doctor. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider his due teaching on salvation and divine grace of the theology of the Reformation. The Eastern Orthodox also consider him. He carries the additional title of blessed. The Orthodox call him "Blessed Augustine" or "Saint Augustine the Blessed."
Santo Agostinho
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 30, 2020
This is a personal letter from Augustine to one of his friends who was a Manichean. Refuting the Manicheans was a big deal to Augustine given his history with them and the personal element lends a bit of urgency to this one.
October 6, 2024
Really short book. The first 40 chapters are pretty good but not much new here and the treatment of topics is very brief. The last eight chapters are only of interest to those who want to know about the specific heresies of the Manichean sect.
November 27, 2020
Sur la nature du bien et la non-nature du mal. Pour Augustin, en effet, le souverain bien est Dieu et le mal est une corruption du bien. Le mal n'est donc pas une nature active opposée au mal (il s'agit en effet d'un écrit contre la doctrine manichéenne).
Toutes les natures sont bonnes en tant que nature. Le mal est un manque d'être. Les natures corrompues sont mauvaises en tant que corrompues et bonnes en tant que natures. Tout désordre est porté par un ordre, tout mal est porté par un bien. Le mal absolu serait la corruption absolue d'un être, c'est-à-dire le néant. Le bien absolu, c'est Dieu. Le mal absolu comme principe des choses radicalement mauvaises est donc non seulement inexistant mais inconcevable.
Ainsi, l'homme pèche non pas en désirant le mal en soi (cela n'existe pas) mais en désirant un bien inférieur à celui qui lui est proposé. Alors que la source d'eau vive lui est offerte pour l'éternité, il désire des citernes crevassées qui ne retiennent pas l'eau (Jer 2).
La souffrance et les peines sont un bien en ce qu'il est juste qu'un pécheur souffre et en ce qu'il est bon qu'un juste soit éprouvé.
Beau passage sur le langage analogique en XXXIX (39) et sur l'immuablilité de Dieu.
Gros gros plus à lire la version de la Bibliothèque Augustinienne. L'introduction est magistrale, les notes utiles, les ellipses bienvenues. Merci à B. Roland-Gosselin !
Toutes les natures sont bonnes en tant que nature. Le mal est un manque d'être. Les natures corrompues sont mauvaises en tant que corrompues et bonnes en tant que natures. Tout désordre est porté par un ordre, tout mal est porté par un bien. Le mal absolu serait la corruption absolue d'un être, c'est-à-dire le néant. Le bien absolu, c'est Dieu. Le mal absolu comme principe des choses radicalement mauvaises est donc non seulement inexistant mais inconcevable.
Ainsi, l'homme pèche non pas en désirant le mal en soi (cela n'existe pas) mais en désirant un bien inférieur à celui qui lui est proposé. Alors que la source d'eau vive lui est offerte pour l'éternité, il désire des citernes crevassées qui ne retiennent pas l'eau (Jer 2).
La souffrance et les peines sont un bien en ce qu'il est juste qu'un pécheur souffre et en ce qu'il est bon qu'un juste soit éprouvé.
Beau passage sur le langage analogique en XXXIX (39) et sur l'immuablilité de Dieu.
Gros gros plus à lire la version de la Bibliothèque Augustinienne. L'introduction est magistrale, les notes utiles, les ellipses bienvenues. Merci à B. Roland-Gosselin !
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews