Catholic Thought discussion

Summary

Subchapters
- The Body and Eternal Fire
- The Issue of Eternal Pain
- The Issue of Survival in Eternal Fire: Natural Wonders and the Power of God
- The Issue of the Nature and Properties of Human Flesh
- The Worm and the Fire: Eternal Punishment of Both Body and Soul
- Material Fire as Punishment for Evil Spirits
- The Issue of the Just Correlation of Temporal Sin and Eternal Punishment
- The Issue of Remedial or Purgatorial Punishment
- All Human Life on Earth is a Trial
- The Warfare of Flesh against Spirit and of Spirit against Flesh
- The Question of Divine Mercy and Eternal Punishment: Erroneous Views
- Reply to Error: the Devil and His Angels Will Suffer Eternal Punishment
- Reply to Error: Eternal Punishment is Eternal
- Reply to Error: the Intercession of the Saints and the Prayers of the Church
- Reply to Error: the Sense in Which God Does not Hold Back His Mercies in Anger
- Reply to Error: the Sense in Which God’s Sweetness is Hidden, and from Whom
- Reply to Error: the All to Whom God Is Merciful
- Reply to Error: neither Participation in the Sacraments nor Perseverance in the Church Outweighs Immorality of Life
- Reply to Error: Who It Is That Is Saved as through Fire
- Reply to Error: the Issue of Works of Mercy


Having concluded with proofs of final judgement in the previous book, Book XXI goes on to show the nature and rationale of eternal punishment for those condemned. First Augustine shows that eternal pain from fire is entirely possible for both humans and demons, and then shows that the resurrected body is fully capable of burning in eternity without consumption. Augustine then shows how eternal punishment is Biblical and justified. He goes on to show that the eternal fire of damnation is not the same as the purifying fire of Purgatory. Augustine then goes on to counter all the objections to the everlasting nature of eternal punishment, such as that a merciful God would not condemn anyone for eternity or that participation in the sacraments will guarantee salvation despite any lack of charity in the heart. These are all errors which Augustine proves otherwise.

Galicius, this post is addressing Book XXI, not the final Book. I think your comment is referring to Book XXII, the final Book, which I'm still reading. I will post it shortly.

Manny wrote: "Galicius, this post is addressing Book XXI, not the final Book. I think your comment is referring to Book XXII, the final Book, which I'm still reading. I will post it shortly."

You are correct. Pardon my mistake. I deleted it until you post your reading.

Book XXI

St. Augustine gives his vision of Hell after the end of the world reserved for the damned and the devils. He describes it as a state of pain and suffering from which there is no coming back. He considers the nature of the soul’s suffering in the hell fire, repentance that will bring no reprieve. It does not provide any means of curing humans or the fallen angels. There is no coming back.

He addresses objections of Origen (c. 185-254) who “believed that even the devil himself and his angels after suffering those more severe and prolonged pains which their sins deserved, should be delivered from their torments, and associated with the holy angels.” (p. 788). This would mean that God may change His mind about the eternal punishment of the bad angels. St. Agustine does not think that possible. The Church rejected this as contrary to Scripture.

He addresses other objections to why the punishment should be eternal for sins and not proportioned to the temporal commission of the offences. Objects also to the notion that the saints may be praying to get the damned out of hell. The Church prays for its enemies but only for those in this life hoping to reform them. Praying for souls that will be damned would not only be worthless but odd.

He justifies the punishment for Adam’s original sin. All human beings inherited the terrible punishment because the paradise that God gave to man was so great and good that it merited the enormous punishment by the free will turning away from God and His goodness to man. Adam and Eve’s transgression was very great. That is at the bottom of their disobedience and rebellion, their rejection of God’s gift.

Despite spending the time in contemplating Hell and giving examples from the limited knowledge of the natural world in his time that he relates to bodies living in fire and materials that burn but are not consumed St. Augustine is more interested in telling us how to avoid hell in the future. He does tell us though that our worldly experience is insufficient to know what is possible in God’s creation.