St. Augustine Problem Of Evil Essay

St. Augustine is one of the most remarkable philosophers in Christian history. St. Augustine was born in 354 AD to a pagan father and a devout Christian mother. Such families were common in that era as paganism was retreating, while Christianity was taking root. Despite the influence of her mother, Augustine was not baptized until his late thirties, and he led a pagan lifestyle. Augustine’s life was characterized by different religious beliefs and philosophies, and this gave him the command to write insightful books such as “Confessions” and “The Teacher.” (Hubpages) One issue that St. Augustine addressed comprehensively is the “problem of evil.” The problem of evil remains a timeless question, and many of us find ourselves questioning why evil exists. St. Augustine grew up in a pagan society where evil was the norm. As a student in Carthage, St. Augustine kept wondering why there was so much evil in the world, and this question haunted him his whole life. (Durfee) Additionally, his life was characterized by loss and suffering. He did not ascribe to Christian teaching while in Carthage. He lost his father at a young age, and then he lost his mistress, his mother, and finally his son. All this losses made him wonder why an all powerful and good God allowed so much suffering. (Durfee) At a young age, St. Augustine became a follower of …show more content…
Augustine claims that all activities are good, only that the level of goodness varies. This shows that in as much as we deviate from our Christian principles, and do things that are not in line with Christianity it does not mean that we are totally evil rather we are doing things that are no longer of greater goodness that the rest. For instance, a loyal Christian who lives by the teaching and helps the needy is likely to do a greater good, than someone who hardly attends church and is not interested in helping those who are in need. In the above cases, both people are good only that their level of goodness varies.