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12
JanSłomka
AugustineonGraceandOriginalSin
IwilltrytopresentatheologicalbasisforAugustine’sapproach.
AugustineviewedamanascreatedbyGodandassuchamanwas
capaxDei.Butatthesametimeamanwasburdenedwithoriginalsin.
Augustineisagreattheologianoforiginalsin.Hepointedoutthatthis
sinafectsmainlythefreewillofman.Itsresultislustwhichpractically
makeshumanfreedomillusive.Thusamanlivingonearthisaboveall
possessedbylust,separatedfromGod,incapabletofulfillcommandments
andreachGod.ThisispossibleonlybythegraceofGod.Therefore,itis
justifiedtocallAugistineDoctorgratiae.
ButhowdoesthegraceofGodwork?Obviously
,Augustineknows
thatGodactsfreelyanditisimpossibletocontrolthegraceofGod.The
doutdesprinciplewhich,inthecontextofreligion,meansoferinggifts
todeitytogainitsfavourconstitutedthebasisoftheentirereligionof
RomeandAugustinevieweditastheessenceofpaganismandadenial
oftheChristianfaith.Godisalwaysfirst.Youcannot“earn”anything
orpersuadeGodtobegrantedhisgraceasgratitudeforsacrifice.Godis
loveandheisalwaysthefirstingiving.Hisgiftsareforfree.Augustine’s
disputewithPelagiusallowedforacomprehensiveandclearpresentation
ofthedoctrineoftheabsolutegratuityofgrace.
WecanindirectlylearnpossiblepathsofthegraceofGodinDecivi-
tateDeiaccordingtoAugustine.
InthefirsttwelvebookshecriticisespaganRome.Itisveryinteresting
toseehowAugustine,aRomaninhisformationandculture,perceives
variouselementsofthisculture.Augustinemakesanoverviewofthehis-
toryofRomeandanalysesitcriticallytoshowthatitwasRomans’sins
andnotconversiontoChristianitythatledtothefallofRome.
Thebasisofthisanalysisisthefollowingtheologicalperspective:he
perceivedRomeasacommunityofpeoplelivinginoriginalsin,atheater
ofdemons’actsthattempted,deceived,andledtoperdition.
However,whenyoureaditmorecarefully
,itappearsthat,according
toAugustine,demonsactbydiferentforces,dependingonasphereof
life.TheyaremostpowerfulwithrespecttovariousRomancults,which
isnotsurprising.Augustinealsofindsitobviousthatanymagicpractices,
divinationorspells,arewithindemons’power.Itishoweverinteresting
thatAugustinehasverycriticalattitudetowardsphilosophersstatingthat
theyseekthetruth,but,atthesametime,areeasilydeceivedbydemons.
Forthisreasononecannottrusttheirwisdom.Thesmallestinfluenceof
demonsAugustineseesintherightsofRome.Inhisopinionemperorsare
underinfluenceofdemonswhentheyareincitedtowageawarinorder