Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons^™

An Exposition Of Augustine's Theodicy: From Its Influences To Its Modern Application, Kevin J. Gray

Philosophy Student Scholarship

This paper delineates the thrust of Augustine's theodicy against the broader background of his Christian Neoplatonic outlook. We examine Augustine's initial Manichean influences and see how these beliefs carry over to his mature thought, which is evident in the seventh book of the Confessions. After Augustine's time with the Manicheans, we look at how he was so influenced by the books of the Platonists (libri platonicorum). Although Augustine's position regarding the problem of evil shifts, his idea of the primacy of the soul is still evident in his thought process. To wit, Augustine posits that evil must …