Deep Talks with Paul Anleitner Ep 45: The Problem of Evil (Part 5)- Will Evil Ever End? Do We Get Sinful Souls from Sex? Do We Have Free Will? (Gregory of Nyssa & Augustine)
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Nov 18, 2019 Delve into the profound thoughts of Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine as they tackle the nature of evil and free will. Discover their contrasting views on whether evil is eternal or will ultimately be reconciled. Explore the origins of sin and whether we are born with sinful souls. The debate between Augustine and Pelagius opens up discussions on moral agency and salvation. Unravel the complex interplay of free will and determinism, and how these ancient ideas still resonate in today's spiritual inquiries.
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Gregory Identifies Evil as Misused Will
- Gregory of Nyssa defines evil as a movement away from the good due to a misused free will.
- Evil is not an independent reality but a retrocession of the soul from the beautiful, misusing the good.
Gregory's Universal Salvation Hope
- Gregory believed scriptures teach that all souls will eventually reunite with God after judgment.
- He saw hell's fires as purifying, not eternal torment, burning away what turns away from God.
Augustine Defines Evil and Suffering
- Augustine describes evil as falling away from substance and tending toward non-existence.
- Suffering arises only when there is a loss of good, which is fundamentally God.
