Augustine's Theory of Salvation
Overview
This paper examines St. Augustine's theological framework regarding salvation, analyzing his concepts of original sin, human brokenness, and the necessity of divine grace. The essay traces Augustine's conversion narrative and argues that salvation in Augustinian theology requires God's grace through Christ, as humanity is inherently corrupted by original sin and incapable of redemption through its own will.
What this essay covers
- Augustine's biographical background and conversion to Christianity
- The doctrine of original sin and human brokenness stemming from Adam and Eve
- Redemption through divine grace and the role of Christ as mediator
- The relationship between human will, repentance, and God's grace in achieving salvation
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Augustine's Theory of Salvation
St. Augustine (354-430) was born in a small town located (currently Algeria) North Africa, to a heathen father and a sainted mother. While in his early ages, Augustine opted to pursue a career as a rhetoric teacher and taught in Carthage and Rome. Although his mother was a Catholic, St. Monica, throughout his career life, Augustine was not brought up in a Christian way. However, in his confessions after conversion to Christianity, Augustine details the various ways in which the Lord did not want to lose hold of him, leading him to the Catholic church. He was inspired by other Christian philosopher's writings and became what would represent a manifold to Christianity (Humphries). Throughout his career as a philosopher and psychologist, Augustine wrote several religious scriptures, including his theory of salvation and changed his perception of how to understand the human situation.
As a mature theologian, he expressed that humanity is broken in several levels through education, love, and deeds. Human brokenness originates from the first sin by Adam and Eve; a humanity that is broken does not comprehend the truth, does not love what is beautiful, and does not act in good-will. However, according to Augustine, broken humanity does not imply that we are entirely evil; though evil does not exist on its own, it is the perversion of good (Humphries).