Human Relationships Pre and Post Fall
Summary
Augustine teaches that the Fall of Man fundamentally broke human nature. Before the Fall (Pre-Lapsarian), humans lived in a state of perfection and harmony (Concordia) with a unified will where reason perfectly controlled desires. Relationships were driven by Caritas (selfless love of God and others). After the Fall (Post-Lapsarian), human nature became corrupted by Original Sin. The will became divided (Akrasia)—we know the good but cannot do it because our desires (concupiscence) overpower our reason. Love changed from Caritas to Cupiditas (selfish love of earthly things), and society now requires harsh political authority to control our sinful nature.
Detailed Explanation
Pre-Fall State (Pre-Lapsarian)
1. The Nature of Relationships: Concordia
Definition:
Adam and Eve lived in a state of Concordia—easy, comfortable, understanding friendship.
Key Features:
- Perfect harmony between themselves, God, and nature
- No lust, shame, or conflict
- Not merely casual friendship but complete understanding
2. The Unified Will
Key Concept:
The human will was God-given and good (creation ex nihilo). The will was unified: Reason perfectly controlled the body and emotions.
Example:
Adam could move his body at will. He could have had sex by simply willing it, without the uncontrollable passion of lust.
3. Caritas (True Love)
Definition:
Caritas (Agape)—generous love of others for their own sake and for God.
How it Functioned:
- Adam and Eve loved God first
- They loved each other through God
- Relationships were selfless and oriented toward the divine
The Fall and Original Sin
The Cause: Pride
Root of the Fall:
Pride—the desire to be like God and reject His authority.
Key Insight:
The "evil will" preceded the "evil act" of eating the fruit. By choosing themselves over God, they corrupted the very mechanism of choice (the will).
Post-Fall State (Post-Lapsarian)
1. The Divided Will (Akrasia)
Definition:
The punishment for disobeying God was that human bodies rebelled against human reason.
St. Paul's Expression:
"I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do."
Key Term:
We are "non posse non peccare" (not able not to sin)—we have lost true liberty.
2. Concupiscence (Uncontrollable Desire)
Definition:
Strong, overwhelming desire, especially sexual lust—the main symptom of the Fall.
Augustine's Proof:
We cannot control sexual arousal; it happens involuntarily or fails when wanted (impotence). This lack of control is the "penalty" for our original disobedience.
Transmission of Sin:
Sexual intercourse now transmits Original Sin to every new generation (except Jesus).
3. Cupiditas (Selfish Love)
Definition:
Caritas (generous love) was replaced by Cupiditas (selfish love of earthly things).
Consequences:
- Relationships are now marred by selfishness and jealousy
- The desire to possess rather than give
- True friendship is difficult and fraught with anxiety
4. The Need for Political Authority
Before the Fall:
Humans could live as shepherds watching over flocks (gentle leadership).
After the Fall:
We need kings and forceful laws to restrain our sinful nature. Slavery and harsh rule are consequences of sin.
Scholarly Perspectives
Augustine on Pre-Fall Harmony
"God created man with such a nature that the members of the race should not have died... In paradise, then, man lived as he desired so long as he desired what God had commanded. He lived in the enjoyment of God, and was good by God's goodness. He lived without want, and had leisure so that he might have no weariness."
Source: Augustine, City of God, Book XIV
Context: This passage describes the pre-lapsarian perfection: immortality, harmony with God, and a will perfectly aligned with God's commands (Caritas).
Augustine on Post-Fall Corruption
"After Adam and Eve disobeyed... they felt for the first time a movement of disobedience in their flesh, as punishment in kind for their own disobedience to God... The soul, which had taken a perverse delight in its own liberty and disdain to serve God, was now deprived of its original mastery over the body."
Source: Augustine, City of God, Book XIII
Context: This passage describes the immediate consequence of the Fall: the loss of the unified will. Because the soul disobeyed God, the body now disobeys the soul (concupiscence).
Key Takeaways
The Fall Changed Everything
It wasn't just a bad choice; it ontologically changed human nature itself.
Unified vs. Divided Will
Before the Fall, we could do what we reasoned (Unified). Now, we fight against our own desires (Divided/Akrasia).
Caritas vs. Cupiditas
True love (Caritas) vs. Selfish love (Cupiditas)—this is the key to Augustine's ethics.
Concupiscence
The defining feature of post-Fall humanity—uncontrollable desire, especially sexual. It proves we've lost control of ourselves.
Original Sin
We are "seminally present" in Adam, so we inherit his guilt and corrupted nature.
God's Grace
Augustine is often called pessimistic, but he argues God's Grace is the only (and sufficient) cure for our corruption.
Quick Reference: Pre-Fall vs. Post-Fall
| Feature | Pre-Fall (Pre-Lapsarian) | Post-Fall (Post-Lapsarian) |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship | Concordia (Perfect friendship) | Conflict & Domination |
| Love Type | Caritas (Generous love of God/others) | Cupiditas (Selfish love of earthly things) |
| The Will | Unified (Reason controls body) | Divided (Body rebels against reason) |
| Sexuality | Rational, controlled, without lust | Concupiscence (Uncontrollable lust/shame) |
| Freedom | Posse peccare (Able to sin) | Non posse non peccare (Not able not to sin) |
| Politics | Gentle leadership (Shepherd) | Harsh authority needed to control sin |