Augustine: Major Ideas

1. Sense of a chasm between self and God which must be overcome in order to unite with God.

--God = Being

-- humans = beings

2. The soul is a space into which God can enter: an unseen world, accessed by secret senses, made by God but not divine

3. Solitary contemplation not necessary

4. The only mediating principle between humans and God is Christ

5. Love rather than knowledge is the way to God

6. Evil = lack of being, nothing.

7. Evil = disharmony with God (turning of the will)

8. Sin located in the will

9. One's true self consists in conforming one's will to God's will