Against Julian 978-0813214009

Table of contents :
BOOK I
Augustine proposes to defend the doctrine of original
sin set forth in Book I of De nuptiis et concupiscentia,
against Bishop Julian, who had attacked
it in four volumes and who had called its defenders
Manichae~ns. Such a charge would fall, therefore,
upon the most famous of the Fathers, Greek and
Latin, as Augustine shows by citing their own testimony,
with particular explanation of passages from
Basil and John Chrysostom which Julian believes
favor his view. Actually, it is certain rash statements
of Julian that strongly support the Manichaean
heresy.
BOOK 2
Augustine refutes the five arguments of the Pelagians
against original sin from the pronouncements
of earlier famous Church authorities: the ten il}
ustrious bishops-Irenaeus, Reticius, Olympius,
Hilary, Gregory Nazianzen, Ambrose, Basil, John
of Constantinople, Innocent, and Jerome.
BOOK 3
Augustine answers Book of Julian so that it becomes
clear that, although the true and good God
is the Creator of men, and marriage is good and is
instituted by God, yet the concupiscence by which
the flesh lusts against the spirit is evil. Conju"g al
modesty uses this evil well, and more holy continence
does better by not using it at all. This evil
is not in us from another substance which God did
not make, as the Manichaeans say, but arose and
is transmitted through the disobedience of Adam,
and is expiated and healed through the obedience
of Christ. Everyone born incurs a deserved punishment
in bondage to this evil; the reborn is released
from it by a gratuitous grace. He shows from
Julian'S own words that lust is evil, for Julian
acknowledges remedies against it, wants it to be
restrained by reason, and says that glorious combats
are fought against it by the continent.
BOOK 4
Augustine considers each argument in this reply to
julian's Book 2, omitting only those statements that
have no bearing on the question. He proves two
things: that the virtues of unbelievers are not true
virtues; and that concupiscence is evil. Through his
opponent's very argument he also proves this from
the words of the Gentiles. He shows how grace is
not given according to merits, yet may not be attributed
to fate; and how we are to understand the
words of the Apostle that God wishes all men to
be saved.
BOOK 5
In dealing with Julian'S Book 3, Augustine shows
first why Christians despise the new heresy which
rejects original sin. Concupiscence does not deserve
praise merely because man's disobedience is punished
through it; it is a fault and, even in those
who do not consent to its wicked activities, it is always
evil. He shows how we should understand
the words of the Apostle: 'That each one may know
how to possess his vessel: and so forth. There is
true marriage without union of bodies, as was the
marriage of Mary and Joseph. Julian'S attempt to
argue by Aristotelean Categories against the sin
derived from our first parents is without avail.
Augustine shows how the flesh of Christ differs
from the flesh of other men. Catholics by no means
favor the Manichaeans when they acknowledge
original sin and the evil of lust; this is true, instead,
of the Pelagians when they say: 'Sins do not arise
from that which is free from sin.'
BOOK 6
Augustine answers Book 4 of JulIan, as well as his
cavilings and calumnies against De nuptiis. That
man is born with sin is shown from the baptism of
infants, from the rite of exorcism and exsufflation
in the baptism of infants, from the words of the
Apostle to the Romans and the Corinthians. The
aptness of the illustration of the olive and the
oleaster shows how from regenerated and just
parents are born children who must be regenerated.
Original sin was voluntary in the first parents; in
us it is another's sin by the ownership of action,
but it is our sin by the contagion of offspring. It
is because of this sin that the human race from
infancy is afflicted by these great miseries, and that
infants who die without the grace of regeneration
are excluded from the kingdom of God. Sanctification
is now conferred through baptism on both soul
and body, yet the corruption of the body, which
also presses down the soul itself, is not removed
in this life. He shows how concupiscence remains
in act, passes in guilt; and he gives the Catholic
interpretation of the Apostle Paul which Julian expounded
in an incorrect sense.

Citation preview

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH A NEW TRANSLATION VOLUME 35

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH A NEW TRANSLATION

EDITORIAL BOARD Hermigild Dressler, O.F.M. Quincy College Editorial Director

Robert P. Russell, O.S.A.

Thomas P. Halton

Villanova University

The Catlwlic University of America

Robert Sider

Sister M. Josephine ~rennan, I.H.M.

Dickinson College

Marywood College

Richard Talaska Editorial Assistant

FORMER EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Ludwig Schopp, Roy J. Deferrari, Bernard M. Peebles

SAINT AUGUSTINE AGAINST JULIAN

Translated by

MATTHEW A. SCHUMACHER, C. S. C.

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS Washington, D.C.

NIHIL OSSTAT:

JOHN A. GOODWINE

Censor Librorum

IMPRIMATUR:

•

FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN

Archbishop of New York

September 17, 1957

Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 77-081347 ISBN 8132-0035-0

Copyright © 1957 by

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS, INC. A II rights reserved

Second Printing 1977 Third Printing 1981 First Paperback Reprint 2004 ISBN 0-8132-1400-9

CONTENTS 3

BOOK I Augustine proposes to defend the doctrine of original sin set forth in Book I of De nuptiis et concupiscentia, against Bishop Julian, who had attacked it in four volumes and who had called its defenders Manichae~ns. Such a charge would fall, therefore, upon the most famous of the Fathers, Greek and Latin, as Augustine shows by citing their own testimony, with particular explanation of passages from Basil and John Chrysostom which Julian believes favor his view. Actually, it is certain rash statements of Julian that strongly support the Manichaean heresy.

55

BOOK 2 Augustine refutes the five arguments of the Pelagians against original sin from the pronouncements of earlier famous Church authorities: the ten il}ustrious bishops-Irenaeus, Reticius, Olympius, Hilary, Gregory Nazianzen, Ambrose, Basil, John of Constantinople, Innocent, and Jerome.

v

vi

CONTENTS

BOOK 3

105

Augustine answers Book of Julian so that it becomes clear that, although the true and good God is the Creator of men, and marriage is good and is instituted by God, yet the concupiscence by which " the flesh lusts against the spirit is evil. Conjugal modesty uses this evil well, and more holy continence does better by not using it at all. This evil is not in us from another substance which God did not make, as the Manichaeans say, but arose and is transmitted through the disobedience of Adam, and is expiated and healed through the obedience of Christ. Everyone born incurs a deserved punishment in bondage to this evil; the reborn is released from it by a gratuitous grace. He shows from Julian'S own words that lust is evil, for Julian acknowledges remedies against it, wants it to be restrained by reason, and says that glorious combats are fought against it by the continent.

BOOK 4 Augustine considers each argument in this reply to julian's Book 2, omitting only those statements that have no bearing on the question. He proves two things: that the virtues of unbelievers are not true virtues; and that concupiscence is evil. Through his opponent's very argument he also proves this from the words of the Gentiles. He shows how grace is not given according to merits, yet may not be attributed to fate; and how we are to understand the words of the Apostle that God wishes all men to be saved.

167

CONTENTS

BOOK 5

Vll

241

In dealing with Julian'S Book 3, Augustine shows first why Christians despise the new heresy which rejects original sin. Concupiscence does not deserve praise merely because man's disobedience is punished through it; it is a fault and, even in those who do not consent to its wicked activities, it is always evil. He shows how we should understand the words of the Apostle: 'That each one may know how to possess his vessel: and so forth. There is true marriage without union of bodies, as was the marriage of Mary and Joseph. Julian'S attempt to argue by Aristotelean Categories against the sin derived from our first parents is without avail. Augustine shows how the flesh of Christ differs from the flesh of other men. Catholics by no means favor the Manichaeans when they acknowledge original sin and the evil of lust; this is true, instead, of the Pelagians when they say: 'Sins do not arise from that which is free from sin.' BOOK 6 Augustine answers Book 4 of JulIan, as well as his cavilings and calumnies against De nuptiis. That man is born with sin is shown from the baptism of infants, from the rite of exorcism and exsufflation in the baptism of infants, from the words of the Apostle to the Romans and the Corinthians. The aptness of the illustration of the olive and the oleaster shows how from regenerated and just parents are born children who must be regenerated. Original sin was voluntary in the first parents; in

307

viii

CONTENTS

us it is another's sin by the ownership of action, but it is our sin by the contagion of offspring. It is because of this sin that the human race from infancy is afflicted by these great miseries, and that infants who die without the grace of regeneration are excluded from the kingdom of God. Sanctification is now conferred through baptism on both soul and body, yet the corruption of the body, which also presses down the soul itself, is not removed in this life. He shows how concupiscence remains in act, passes in guilt; and he gives the Catholic interpretation of the Apostle Paul which Julian expounded in an incorrect sense.

WRITINGS OF

SAINT AUGUSTINE VOLUME 16

INTRODUCTION

~

T.

AUGUSTINE WROTE this work in the closing years of a life busied with three great controversiesManichaeism, Donatism, Pelagianism, the last ending with the Contra Julianum and the Opus imperfectum contra Julianum. The year 411, which, for all practical purposes, saw the end of Donatism-a result largely due to Augustine-finds him beginning in earnest the conflict with Pelagianism, which was to occupy his time in sermons and a number of important writings for the rest of his days. The Council of Carthage (411) condemned the teachings of Celestius, the disciple of Pelagius. The councils of Carthage were sleeplessly active against the errors of Pelagianism, for, when the doctrines of Pelagius were accepted by John, Bishop of Jerusalem, and also by the Council of Diospolis as in harmony with the teaching of the Church, a new Council of Carthage (416) reaffirmed the previous condemnation. This action and a similar action by the Council of Milevis (416), at which Augustine was present, urged Pope Innocent I to ratify their decision. When word came from the Pope that on January 27, 417, he had condemned Pelagius and Celestius, Augustine in the course of a sermon proclaimed Xl

Xli

SAINT AUGUSTINE

thankfully and wistfully: