Augustine’s view of the material world and the role man plays in it has sometimes been misunderstood or even presented as pessimistic. These opinions often refer to the fact that at a younger age Augustine was influenced by ancient philosophers and especially by Manichaeism, suggesting that matter was inherently bad and consequently the Christian’s hope was to escape the material world. But this view is primarily not that of Augustine’s. In fact his vision of the world is rather theocentric than anthropomorphic. God gave man power over other creatures that he exercises through his intelligent mind which enables him to discern what is good and bad. This all forms a part of an intended order and beauty of the world that is good in itself.
In many places of his oeuvre (mainly in the Commentaries on the Psalms and in the Confessions) Augustine praises the beauty of nature and creature as such doing so mostly through images which are his favourite. From the analysed texts it becomes also evident that Augustine’s understanding of God – man – created world relationship is based on his understanding of ordo amoris. Love helps people to define their proper relationship to the created world as well as to one another.
Thus in the last stage of my analysis, based on Augustine’s words from his Confessions, “these fruits of the earth symbolise and represent in allegorical terms the works of mercy produced by fertile soil to meet the needs of this present life“, I try to examine “human ecology” as resulting from the author’s thinking, showing that solidarity among men and alm giving are a part of a wider God’s plan with the world and particularly with humanity. Here amor socialis closely linked with ordo amoris comes into play.
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