Church History
9/23/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IX. Theological Controversies, and Development of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2327-2561). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 117-160).
"§153. The Augustinian System: The Fall and its consequences." (pp. 2521-2526).
Schaff, describing the Augustinian view of the human nature, considers it to be predicated on the "unity of the human race," an understanding of the nature of the first Adam and Christ as the second Adam, and a concept of all humans partaking of Adam's sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2522). Augustine takes all humans as personally sinning in Adam. The penalty of sin imposed on Adam is also imposed on all subsequent humans.
In Augustine's view, there was one imperfection in the created order, the ability of humans to enter into sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2522). Falling prey to Satan's temptation, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The rejection of obedience to God's command proved to be the sin which ruined all humanity (Schaff 2014, p. 2523).
As Augustine saw the serious nature of the first human sin, he understood the penalty of sin to be commensurate (Schaff 2014, p. 2523). Schaff categorizes Augustine's list of consequences of sin in seven parts. He first identifies a loss of free choice. This consequence of sin is that the fallen human will necessarily sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2524). Second, human knowledge is hindered. Learning has become difficult. Third, free will is bound so that the sinner does what he does not desire. Paradise is closed to mankind, creating severe difficulties in life. Fifth, the desires of fleshly pleasure are elevated. This concupiscence interferes with all our endeavors (Schaff 2014, p. 2525). The higher and lower desires are at war against each other. A sixth result of the fall is the introduction of physical death in the world (Schaff 2014, p. 2526). Finally, the topic to be considered in the next section is "original sin and hereditary guilt in [Adam's] whole posterity" (Schaff 2014, p. 2526).
"§154. The Augustinian System: Original Sin, and the Origin of the Human Soul." (pp. 2526-2530).
Schaff continues his evaluation of Augustine's anthropology by noting that Augustine considers all the descendants of Adam, apart from Christ, to be bent toward evil, thus to engage in actual sins themselves (Schaff 2014, p. 2527). Because of this corruption by original sin, all human thoughts and actions are, in some way, sinful. Augustine does, however, allow for there to be "different degrees both of sinfulness and guilt" (Schaff 2014, p. 2537).
Because Augustine considered sin to be the universal condition of humans, he evaluated the various explanations of its transmission (Schaff 2014, p. 2528). A Traducian theory describes the soul originating along with the body. Thus, a sinful soul comes to be in conjunction with a fallen body. Under a second theory, each soul is created by God, not through procreation. This creationism sees God implementing the soul in the body at some point. Hence, the soul becomes corrupt by being connected with a body. The third theory, Platonic in origin, is that of pre-existence. Here, the soul was created in another world and sinned, thus being bound to a body as punishment. The first point of view was held by Augustine, the second by Pelagius, and the third by Origen. Schaff clarifies, that the historic Traducian view admits that the soul may have existed "in the thought and purpose of God" but not in any other way (Schaff 2014, p. 2629). All three views have some kernels of truth, and all have drawbacks.
9/23/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IX. Theological Controversies, and Development of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2327-2561). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 117-160).
"§153. The Augustinian System: The Fall and its consequences." (pp. 2521-2526).
Schaff, describing the Augustinian view of the human nature, considers it to be predicated on the "unity of the human race," an understanding of the nature of the first Adam and Christ as the second Adam, and a concept of all humans partaking of Adam's sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2522). Augustine takes all humans as personally sinning in Adam. The penalty of sin imposed on Adam is also imposed on all subsequent humans.
In Augustine's view, there was one imperfection in the created order, the ability of humans to enter into sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2522). Falling prey to Satan's temptation, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The rejection of obedience to God's command proved to be the sin which ruined all humanity (Schaff 2014, p. 2523).
As Augustine saw the serious nature of the first human sin, he understood the penalty of sin to be commensurate (Schaff 2014, p. 2523). Schaff categorizes Augustine's list of consequences of sin in seven parts. He first identifies a loss of free choice. This consequence of sin is that the fallen human will necessarily sin (Schaff 2014, p. 2524). Second, human knowledge is hindered. Learning has become difficult. Third, free will is bound so that the sinner does what he does not desire. Paradise is closed to mankind, creating severe difficulties in life. Fifth, the desires of fleshly pleasure are elevated. This concupiscence interferes with all our endeavors (Schaff 2014, p. 2525). The higher and lower desires are at war against each other. A sixth result of the fall is the introduction of physical death in the world (Schaff 2014, p. 2526). Finally, the topic to be considered in the next section is "original sin and hereditary guilt in [Adam's] whole posterity" (Schaff 2014, p. 2526).
"§154. The Augustinian System: Original Sin, and the Origin of the Human Soul." (pp. 2526-2530).
Schaff continues his evaluation of Augustine's anthropology by noting that Augustine considers all the descendants of Adam, apart from Christ, to be bent toward evil, thus to engage in actual sins themselves (Schaff 2014, p. 2527). Because of this corruption by original sin, all human thoughts and actions are, in some way, sinful. Augustine does, however, allow for there to be "different degrees both of sinfulness and guilt" (Schaff 2014, p. 2537).
Because Augustine considered sin to be the universal condition of humans, he evaluated the various explanations of its transmission (Schaff 2014, p. 2528). A Traducian theory describes the soul originating along with the body. Thus, a sinful soul comes to be in conjunction with a fallen body. Under a second theory, each soul is created by God, not through procreation. This creationism sees God implementing the soul in the body at some point. Hence, the soul becomes corrupt by being connected with a body. The third theory, Platonic in origin, is that of pre-existence. Here, the soul was created in another world and sinned, thus being bound to a body as punishment. The first point of view was held by Augustine, the second by Pelagius, and the third by Origen. Schaff clarifies, that the historic Traducian view admits that the soul may have existed "in the thought and purpose of God" but not in any other way (Schaff 2014, p. 2629). All three views have some kernels of truth, and all have drawbacks.
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