Human relationships pre- and post-Fall

Original Sin and its effects on the will and human societies

God’s grace

Augustine’s interpretation of Genesis 3 (the Fall) including:

• the state of perfection before the Fall and Adam and Eve’s relationship as friends
• lust and selfish desires after the Fall

Augustine’s teaching that Original Sin is passed on through sexual intercourse and is the cause of:

• human selfishness and lack of free will
• lack of stability and corruption in all human societies

Augustine’s teaching that only God’s grace, his generous love, can overcome sin and the rebellious will to achieve the greatest good (summum bonum)

Learners should have the opportunity to discuss issues related to Augustine’s ideas on human nature, including:

whether or not Augustine’s teaching on a historical Fall and Original Sin is wrong

whether or not Augustine is right that sin means that humans can never be morally good

whether or not Augustine’s view of human nature is pessimistic or optimistic

whether or not there is a distinctive human nature