Augustine's God vs. Epictetus' God
At first glance, I was immediately inclined to argue in epictetus' favor, because it pains
me to argue that Christianity is good for anybody. In the following paragraphs, i will
contrast the God of Epictetus, and the God of Augustine, and in the end, my stand will
be clear.
Epictetus and Augustine both identify God on basic level.
Epictetus says,
"Where the essence of God is, there too is the essence of good. What is the essence of
God?......Right Reason? Certainly. Here then, without more ado, seek the essence of
good."
He says strive for goodness, live in conformity with it, and you will find God. God is
the vital force that creates all things and the cosmic intellegence that governs it from
within.
Augustine says: "Where I found truth, there i found my God, who is truth itself."
He says strive for truth and understanding...In loving God, we love truth. Persons can
come to know truth though inner experience and conviction, he holds that you can't
obtain true knowledge without faith. you must have faith in God, who is the essence of
all truth.
Both philosophers address man's powerlessness in the face of God. Epictetus asserted
that humans are basically limited and irrational beings, but that the universe, ruled by
God through pure reason, is perfect. Because human beings can neither know nor control
their destiny, they must cease striving for the attainment of worldly ends and pleasures
and instead calmly accept the fact of their own powerlessness before fate. The only thing
in a person's power is their response to events or outlook, namely, their morality.
Augustine believed faith preceded reason. He believed people are good, but not perfect.
But in Augustinean theology, each person is predestined to either heaven, or to fry like
bacon, and there's nothing you can do about it. Salvation is a "free gift" with purchase,
but only to
me to argue that Christianity is good for anybody. In the following paragraphs, i will
contrast the God of Epictetus, and the God of Augustine, and in the end, my stand will
be clear.
Epictetus and Augustine both identify God on basic level.
Epictetus says,
"Where the essence of God is, there too is the essence of good. What is the essence of
God?......Right Reason? Certainly. Here then, without more ado, seek the essence of
good."
He says strive for goodness, live in conformity with it, and you will find God. God is
the vital force that creates all things and the cosmic intellegence that governs it from
within.
Augustine says: "Where I found truth, there i found my God, who is truth itself."
He says strive for truth and understanding...In loving God, we love truth. Persons can
come to know truth though inner experience and conviction, he holds that you can't
obtain true knowledge without faith. you must have faith in God, who is the essence of
all truth.
Both philosophers address man's powerlessness in the face of God. Epictetus asserted
that humans are basically limited and irrational beings, but that the universe, ruled by
God through pure reason, is perfect. Because human beings can neither know nor control
their destiny, they must cease striving for the attainment of worldly ends and pleasures
and instead calmly accept the fact of their own powerlessness before fate. The only thing
in a person's power is their response to events or outlook, namely, their morality.
Augustine believed faith preceded reason. He believed people are good, but not perfect.
But in Augustinean theology, each person is predestined to either heaven, or to fry like
bacon, and there's nothing you can do about it. Salvation is a "free gift" with purchase,
but only to