"The business of the those absent": The origin of the soul in Augustine's de Genesi ad Litteram 10.6-26

Augustinian Studies

Volumn 29, Issue 1, 1998, Pages 25-81

  Mendelson, Michael ^a  

^a LEHIGH UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84879760697     PISSN: 00945323     EISSN: 21537917     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.5840/augstudies19982918     Document Type: Article

References (138)

1. Translations from De Genesi ad Litteram (henceforth, DGL) follow Taylor, John H., The Literal Meaning of Genesis, Ancient Christian Writers, Newman Press, New York, 1982, vols. 41 & 42.
2. Latin texts of De Genesi ad Litteram can be found in: PL: Migne, J. P., Patrologia Latina, Paris, 1841, vol. 34.
3. Z: Zycha, Joseph, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, Vienna, 1894, vol. 28.
4. see John J. O'Meara, The Creation of Man in St. Augustine's De Genesi ad Litteram, Villanova University Press, 1980, pp. 14-22
5. see his The Origin of the Soul in St. Augustine's Later Works, Fordham University Press 1987, pp. 225-245, esp. 230-238 and 230, n. 55.
6. See also nn. 54, 112, and 131 below.
7. This point will also be addressed in more detail in Section I below.
8. DGL 10.15.27/Z15.
9. DGL 10.6.9/Z6.
10. quonam modo per divini eloquii testimonium ista quaestio solvatur ignoro [DGL 10.10.17/Z 10].
11. ... qui utrumque conlationem adhuc audire sum paratior quam utrorumlibet iam confirmare sententiam [DGL 10.20.35/Z20].
12. ego adhuc inter utrosque ambigo et moveor aliquando sic, aliquando autem sic ... [DGL 10.21.37/Z21].
13. sententia mea iam satis nota sit, vel quidcertum teneam vel unde adhuc dubitem et quare dubitem? [DGL 10.26.44/Z 26].
14. plura quaesita quam inventa sunt: et eorum quae inventa sunt, pauciora firmata (Retractationes 2.24/50 [PL 32.640]). The translation is that of Mary Inez Bogan in The FaCh. 60, Catholic University Press, Washington D.C., 1968.
15. De Beata Vita 1.5 [PL 32.962]: "even now [in Augustine's mind] the question of the soul wavers and is tossed about" [adhuc de anima quaestio nutat et flucta].
16. Retractationes 2.45/71 [PL 32.649]. The remark is made in reference to Letter 166 to Jerome. Augustine employs the same phrase in Letter 202A.5 [PL 33.931] to Optatus, written circa 420 A.D.
17. Nam quod attinet ad eius originem ... nec tunc sciebam, nec adhuc scio (Retractationes I.1 [PL 32.587]); Bogan, p. 10.
18. see De Libero Arbitrio III.21.59, composed circa 395 A.D., where Augustine remarks that It would be rash to affirm any of these (hypotheses of the soul's origin). For the Catholic commentators on Scripture have not solved or shed light on this obscure and perplexing question; or if they have, I have not yet come across any such writing (nullam temere affirmare oportebit. Aut enim nondum ista quaestio a divinorum Librorum catholicis tractatoribus pro merito suae obscuritatis et evoluta atque illustrata est; aut si jam factum est, nondum in manus nostras hujusce modi litterae pervenerunt). [PL 32.1299-1300/tr. Thomas Williams, On Free Choice of the Will, Hackett, 1993, p. 111]
19. See also Letter 143.7, composed circa 412 A.D., where the issue is referred to as a "dark question" (quaestionis obscuritas) [PL 33.587]
20. Letter 166.3, circa 415 A.D., where Augustine remarks that "the question of the soul troubles many, among whom I confess I am found" (Quaestio de anima multos movet, in quibus et me esse confiteor) [PL 33.721/tr. by Sister Wilfrid Parsons, FaCh 30, Catholic University Press, Washington D.C., 1955, p. 8].
21. animae originem [Letter 180.5 PL 33.779
22. Letter 190.3-4IPL 33.853
23. Letter 202A. 16 + 20 PL 33.936 + 938
24. see Gerard O'Daly, Augustine's Philosophy of Mind, London, Duckworth 1987, pp. 15-20 and 199-202.
25. See, for example, Letter 143.7: "I have no doubt at all that the soul is a created being, not the substance of the Creator" (omnino non dubitem... earn esse creaturam non substantiam Creatoris) [PL 33.588/tr. by Parsons, FaCh 20, p. 155].
26. see Jerome's letter to Augustine, Letter 765.1 [PL 33.717-18(7)] and compare it to Letter 166.7.
27. see O'Connell's St. Augustine's Early Theory of Man A.D. 386-91, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1968.
28. see Roland J. Teske, "St. Augustine's View of the Original Human Condition in De Genesi contra Manichaeos," Augustinian Studies 22 (1991), pp. 141-155
29. Robert J. O'Connell, "The De Genesi contra Manicheos and the Origin of the Soul," Revue des Etudes Augustiniennes 39 (1993), pp. 129-141.
30. De Libero Arbritrio 111.20.57 [PL 32.1298/Williams, p. 109].
31. sua sponte labantur (De Libero Arbitrio III.21.59 [PL 32.1299]).
32. "sinks of its own accord into the body" (in corpore sponte demergi) (both passages are at Letter 143.9 [PL 33.589])
33. see O'Connell, Origin, pp. 120-122 and 161-162.
34. in actibus vitae superioris atque coelestis peccaverit, ut corruptibili came mereretur includi (Letter J43.5 [PL 33.587/tr. by Parsons, FaCh 20, p. 153]).
35. in alia superiore vita peccare animus (Letter 166.27 [PL 33.732/tr. by Parsons, FaCh 30, p. 30]).
36. see Augustine's identification in De Libero Arbitrio I of sin with the "love of those things that one can lose against one's will" (earum rerum amorem, quas potest quisque invitus amittere) [De Libero Aribitrio 1.4.10 (PL 32.1227/Williams, p. 8)]. With respect to the "cyclicism," Augustine suggests at Letter 166.27 that the possibility of pre-incarnate sin entails the possibility of sin after leaving the body, and this, in conjunction with the notion that embodiment is the punishment for sin, seems to be enough to generate the sort of cyclical view that Augustine has in mind here.
37. O'Connell also highlights the embodiment question (see Origin, pp. 32-33).
38. O'Daly, in contrast, never really specifies how the "origin" issue is to be construed (see the discussion at O'Daly, Mind, pp. 15-20).
39. see Letter 202A. 75: "Indeed, on doubtful matters doubt should be maintained without doubt" (De dubiis quippe rebus sine dubitatione dubitandum est) [PL 33.935/Parsons, FaCh 30, p. 416].
40. See, for example, De Ordine 2.18.47 and Soliloquia 1.2.7.
41. More will be said below about the significance of this distinction.
42. non credo; non acquiesco; non consentio (Letter 166.27 [PL 33.732]).
43. see William S. Babcock, "Augustine's Interpretation of Romans (A.D. 394-396), Augustinian Studies 10 (1979), pp. 55-74, esp. pp. 60-61 and 65-67.
44. et aliud est extra Adam nescio ubi pecccasse, et ideo in Adam, id est in carnem quae ex Adam propagata est tanquam in carcerem trudi] (Letter 166.27/PL 33.732, tr. by Parsons, FaCh 30, p. 31).
45. See, for example, DGL 10.7.12/Z 7
46. DGL 10.11.19/Z 11
47. see Letter 190.4 (PL 33.853) and Letter 202A.8 (PL 33.952).
48. See, for example, DGL 5.4.11/Z4
49. DGL 5.7.20/Z7
50. and DGL 5.23.44-46/Z 23. For an application of the two-phase view to the creation of Adam
51. see DGL 10.2.3/Z 2.
52. primis illis conditionibus, ubi simul omnia creata sunt [DGL 10.3A/Z 3].
53. sex diebus consummasse deum omnia opera sua [DGL 10.3.5/Z 3].
54. See, for example, DGL 7.23.34/Z23
55. DGL 10.2.3/Z2
56. and DGL 10.3.4/Z3. In all three of these contexts, this prospect is labeled durum (harsh).
57. See also DGL 10.5.8/Z 5 for the denial that there are any scriptural grounds for the angels functioning as "parents" of the soul.
58. This may seem a rather quick and speculative account of a rather crucial move on Augustine's part, but I argue for this interpretation at some length in my "The Dangling Thread: Augustine's Three Hypotheses of the Soul's Origin in the De Genesi Ad Litteram, " The British Journal for the History of Philosophy, vol 3, no. 2 (Sept. 1995), pp. 219-247.
59. Taylor, "The Literal Meaning of Genesis," Ancient Christian Writers 42, p. 277, n. 16.
60. For Augustine's own account of using Genesis to combat Manichean deprecations of nature, see his remarks regarding De Genesi contra Manicheos at Retractationes 1.9.
61. Illam vero opinionem, quod ex una fiant omnes animae, nec discutere volo, nisi necesse sit (Letter 166.27 [PL 33.732/Parsons, FaCh 30, p. 31]).
62. See DGL 10.24-40 to 10.26.45/Z 24-26. As we will see in Section V below, there seems to be more going on here than simply an attack on the "materialism" of Tertullian's traducianism.
63. See also Confessions X. vi. 9 and XII-XIII and n. 2 above.
64. For an admirably concise discussion of Augustine's encounter with Pelagianism
65. see Peter Brown, Augustine of Hippo, University of California Press, 1967, pp. 340-352.
66. see also Gerald Bonner, Augustine and Modern Research on Pelagianism, The Saint Augustine Lecture Series, Villanova University Press, 1972
67. Eugene TeSelle, "Rufinus the Syrian, Caelestius, Pelagius: Explorations in the Prehistory of the Pelagian Controversy," Au-gustinian Studies 3 (1972), pp. 61-95
68. J. Patout Burns, "The Interpretation of Romans in the Pelagian Controversy," Augustinian Studies 10 (1979), pp. 43-54.
69. see Brown, p. 368, Bonner, pp. 15-18, and Burns, p. 54.
70. In this connection
71. For a discussion of this issue, sec Bonner, pp. 31-35.
72. Part of what makes this a tempting way of approaching the problem is that in places Augustine himself suggests that this is the crux of the matter.
73. See, for example, Retractationes 1.9.4 and De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio
74. See Bonner, pp. 10-15 and Brown, p. 342.
75. Pelagius, Ad Demetriadem 2, emphasis added]. The translation is in Brown, op dr., p. 342. The Latin text is in Migne, PL 30.16.
76. In this connection, see the discussion at Brown, p. 342.
77. See also Bonner, p. 34: "... the contribution of Pelagius to Pelagianism was to ... justify the assurance that a virtuous life is possible for the Christian if he will only try."
78. On the importance of Ad Simplicianum
79. see Bonner pp. 15-18 and Babcock, pp. 65-67.
80. see Letter 180.2 to Optatus (circa 416 A.D.) [PL 33.778/Parsons, FaCh, vol.30, p. 119]:
81. See, for example, Brown, pp. 20-21, 25, and 37.
82. See also Burns, p. 49: "Pelagius holds a person responsible only insofar as he is personally the cause of the sinful action."
83. See Section I.A above.
84. On the significance of sinning "in" Adam
85. see Romans 5:12. See also Letter 166.27 and n. 45 above.
86. See TeSelle, p. 67.
87. See also Bonner, pp. 23 and 30.
88. See Section I.A above and Letter 166.27.
89. See also Letter 166.7 for a similar statement of agnosticism coupled with a description of the anti-Manichean strategy behind the discussion of the four hypothesis in De Libero Arbitrio III.
90. paria vel paene paria [DGL 10.23.39/Z 23]. For other passages in DGL 10 that involve similar assertions of uncertainty and neutrality
91. see nn. 9-13 above.
92. The six "neutral" passages are:
93. See also DGL 10.6.11/Z 6 and 10.8.14/Z 8], and 6 is similarly concerned with "spiritual regeneration" (de spiritali regeneratione) [DGL 10.22.38/Z22].
94. sortitus sum animam bonam et, cum essem magis bonus, veni ad corpus incoinquinatum.
95. magis enim videtor adtestari opinioni, qua non ex una propagari, sed desuper animae venire credunturad corpora [DGL 10.7.12/Z7].
96. See also DGL 10.17.30/Z 17.
97. omnes naturas bonas facit [DGL 10.7.12/Z 7].
98. contradicamus apostolo, qui dicit nondum natos nihil egisse boni aut mali [DGL 10.7.12/Z 7]. Not only does Augustine repeat this point twice in the present context, but this crucial piece of scriptural evidence against the voluntarist hypothesis is invoked no less than three more times in Book 10, e.g., 10.11.19/Z 11; 10.15.27/Z 15; and 10.17.30/Z 17.
99. expaterno ingenio vel corporali temperamento [DGL 10.17.30/Z 17].
100. ita et haec verba libri huius aut magis eis favent, qui animarum traducem loquuntur [DGL 10.17.30/Z 17].
101. utrum neutram confirmet sententiam, sed utrique possit adcommodari [DGL 10.11.18/Z 11].
102. ne ... deus videtur auctor esse peccati, si dat animam carni, in qua earn peccare necesse sit [DGL 10.11.19/Z 11].
103. possit esse anima praeter ipsius Christi, cui liberandae a peccato non sit Christiana gratia nec-essaria[DGL\0A\A9/Z\\].
104. ... carnem sine anima concupiscere nihil posse ... ac per hoc ipsius concupiscentiae carnalis causa non est in anima sola ... ex utroque enim fit [DGL 10.12.20/Z 12].
105. As should be obvious by now, I agree strongly with O'Connell's conviction that Chapters 11-16 (on his division of the text, see n. 4 above) "instead of taking account of it (i.e., Pelagianism) almost parenthetically, will be commanded by the anti-Pelagian problematic" (O'Connell, Origin, p. 232).
106. quaeritur quomodo possit iustificari per illius unius hominis oboedientiam, si per alterius unius inoboedientiam rea non est [DGL 10.14.23/Z 14].
107. A discussion of R2, the claim that "the souls of the unborn have done neither good nor evil," is omitted here, for once we bring in the matter of pre-incarnate merit, we are dealing with either the discarded "sent" or the "voluntarist" hypotheses rather then the creationist hypothesis as Augustine now seems to construe it.
108. animas quidem corporibus hominum deum novas singillatim dare ad hoc, ut in came peccati de originali peccato veniente recte vivendo carnalesque concupiscentias sub dei gratia subigendo meritum conparent [DGL 10.14.24/Z 14].
109. gratia dei.
110. per voluntatem bonam.
111. si esset quodammodo indigestibilis, creatori tribueretur.
112. oblivione praegraventur.
113. Quibus respondetur.
114. non ideo sane absentium negotium deserendum est, si quid mihi, quo adiuvari videatur, occurrerit [DGL 10.15.27/Z15].
115. ... possunt enim adhuc dicere deum praescium, quomodo quaeque anima victura esset, si diutius in corpore viveret, ei procurare lavacri salutaris ministrationem, cuius futuram fuisse praevidet pietatem, cum ad annos fidei capaces veniret [DGL 10.15.27/Z 15].
116. incertos nos eorum salutis fieri qui hac vita bene gesta in ecclesia pace defuncti sunt, si non solum secundum id, quod quisque vixit, verum etiam secundum id, quod victurus esset, si amplius vivere potuisset quisque iudicanud est [DGL 10.16.28/Z 16].
117. absentiumnegotium [DGL 10.15.27/Z15].
118. See n. 86 above.
119. quis autem neget eum secundum carnem ibifuissel [DGL 10.19.34/Z 19].
120. hoc ad me no multum adtinet, qui utrorumque conlationem adhuc audire sum paratior quam utrorumlibet iam confirmare sententiam [DGL 10.20.35/Z 20].
121. visibilis corpulentia.
122. invisibilis ratio.
123. rationem seminalem.
124. sed longe aliter ac desuper venit.
125. anima Christi non sit ex traduce animae illius primae praevaricatricis, puto, quod etiam ipsi, qui animarum traducem defendunt, consentiant-per semen quippe concumbentis patris transfundi etiam semen animae volunt, a quo genere conceptionis Christis alienus est [DGL 10.20.36/Z20].
126. an forte dicent: sicut potuit ibi esse secundum carnem et non decimari, cur not etiam secundum animam sine decimatione potuerit [DGL 10.21.37/Z21].
127. simplicem animae substantiam.
128. breviter itaque conligam: si potuit et de anima fieri... ita est de traduce anima Christi, ut no secum labem praevaricationis adtraxerit; si autem sine isto reatu non posset inde esse, non est inde [DGL 10.21.37/Z21].
129. ego adhuc inter utrosque ambigo et moveor aliquando sic, aliquando autem sic [DGL 10.21.37/Z21].
130. paria velpaene paria [DGL 10.23.39/Z23].
131. Admoneo sane, quantum valeam, si quos ista praeoccupavit opinio, ut animas credant ex parentibus propagrai, quantum possunt se ipsos considerent et interim sapiant corpora non esse animas suas [DGL 10.24.40/Z 24].
132. ventum est ad sensus, quibus earn membratim quasi corpus instruere conatus est [DGL 10.25.41/Z25].
133. noluit tamen ... animam crescere substantia sicut corpus ... et tamen, quia per corpus earn localiter tendit, non invenit exitum incrementorum eius, quam vult de semine exiguo aequari corporis quantitati [DGL 10.26.44/Z26].
134. Tertullian, De Anima 37.6-7 at DGL 10.26.44/Z 26.
135. sed tremenda sunt, non ridenda [DGL 10.26.45/Z 26]
136. timuit videlicet, ne deficeret etiam minuendo, si cresceret, et non timuit, ne deficeret rarescendo, cum cresceret [DGL 10.26.45/Z 26].
137. plura quaesita quam inventa sunt Retractationes 2.24/50 [PL 32.640]). For a fuller quotation from the same context, see n.13 above.
138. ego adhuc ... ambigo et moveor aliquando sic, aliquando autem sic ... [DGL 10.21.37/Z21].