Augustine of Hippo

The works of Italian philosopher Thomas Aquinas still hold prominent to this day. Influenced by the works Greek philosopher Aristotle, he was convinced to find evidence of the existence of a God. Through the first two “ways” of Gods existence, he explored the relationship between the cause and the resulting phenomenon of the world’s occurrences. In this paper I will argue that, Aquinas’s first two ways do very little to effectively suggest that a God actually exists. The first way of Aquinas…

1. Present the classic view represented by Augustine and their counter-view on divine Omnipotence? “Reality does not stand outside us or over us” (Rausch,38) and that is why Augustine states that the whole notion of an all-powerful God only exists because of man’s accidental and undeserved grace for God. According to Augustine, God controls everything in this world and he is the reason for everything. On the other hand, some argue that if God gave us freedom that required him to have a limited…

Working Title: Divine Providence: God controls all “God is the measure of all things” Issues to discuss in essay: predestination; justification (behaving morally); and attaining eternal salvation (afterlife) The theology of John Calvin – predestination – include background information Quote John Calvin “All events whatsoever are governed by the secret counsel of God” • Who is John Calvin? A religious scholar/Protestant Reformation 1533? • John Calvin believed in God’s absolute power, God’s…

like to discuss that share their own understandings of grace. These theologians include Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Rahner. There are many similarities and differences among the theologians I have listed. First of all, Augustine was born in 354 A.D. in Africa and did not originally start out as a Christian. He eventually converted to Christianity and was known for his controversy with Pelagius Thinking. Augustine felt his theology of grace was linked to his personal experiences. He believed…

In his book the City of God, Augustine embarks on an endeavor to try to answer the question, how do we as humans find happiness amidst the misery of life? His answer to this question stems from his philosophy on life, that in the end you either go to the City of God or the City of the…

much truth. Many theologians such as Origen of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, St. Augustine, St. Prosper of Aquitaine and John Calvin have all referenced the thought of knowledge and the truth of God in their writings and although they have never really used the verse itself in their writings, you can clearly infer that they go hand in hand. It is known that in the Christian faith, you cannot fully come…

The doctrine of depravity says that man is as bad off as he can be. There is a vast difference between being as bad as he can be, and being as bad off as he can be. The doctrine of depravity has to do, not with man’s estimation of man, but rather with God’s estimation of man. (Pentecost 9-10) The doctrine of depravity has to do not so much with man’s conduct as with man’s state. It has to do not so much with man’s behavior as with his condition before God. In Galatians 3:22 we read, “…the…

Tragic love stories have fascinated humans since ancient times. They conquered the hearts of many and opened the ways for more love stories. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343 – to October 1400) is one of the most famous English authors of the middle ages. Chaucer is considered the father of English literature and thrilled the mass with his literary works. His most famous works include the Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. Yet, again a tragic love story that is still widely popular in the 21st…

“That thou remember them, some claim as debt; I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget” (13-14). By just looking at the last two lines of this sonnet, the theme of the whole poem could be inferred. While John Donne grew up being a Catholic, he later became a Protestant. Due to him suffering through losses and tragic events throughout his life, he, at times, felt conflicted and confused to why his God would let him suffer through that. But overall, he was a man who was passionate about religion,…

"As you grow into manhood you must find your own truths," Ultima tells Antonio, Rudolfo Anaya's protagonist in his seminal work, Bless Me, Ultima. Throughout the novel, Antonio struggles with his identity as a Marez and a Luna, a pagan and a Catholic. For years, he has learned of the omnipotence and goodness of the Christian God, but when Ultima comes to live with the family, Antonio begins to challenge his fundamental beliefs regarding religion. Anaya exposes Antonio's internal conflicts…