Der Wille bei Augustinus

Abstract

Where does evil come from and how can it be reconciled with God's omnipotence? For Augustine, it is the human will from which evil results. According to his teaching, however, the will is only free to sin. And without the grace of God no one can avoid sinning, said Augustine. According to Augustine, by virtue of reasonableness one can only strive for the good. He will still need the grace of God to decide for the good. Furthermore, Augustine thought that, if God gives his grace to a person, it is impossible for him to reject it or to act contrary to it. These Augustinian doctrines certainly have an important status in Christian theology. At the same time, they set the course for the philosophical framework of debate over free will, which has continued since the days of Augustine. This contribution outlines the specific Augustinian perspective in the mentioned debate.