Original scientific paper
Tolerance of evile at St. Augustine according to the parable of the wheat and the tares
Josip Mužić
orcid.org/0000-0002-4493-7503
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split
Abstract
St. Augustine, in his reflection on unity and diversity, starts
from a very concrete situation of a split with the Donatists, and
his basis is the Gospel parable of the wheat and the tares. Unlike
his opponents, who stand up for a pure community of good people
and removing of all those who are not, St. Augustine advocates the
necessity of mixing the good ones with the evils. The constitutive
weakness of every human being requires self-criticism and alertness
to himself, and also understanding and compassion for others.
Division is unenforceable here on the Earth and it would be
as great an evil as breaking down the unity or directly threatening
the good. Therefore, the solution is to endure and tolerate such a
painful and often dramatic situation, viewing this as a penance used
for one’s own greater progress in good and hope for the conversion
of the evils. God makes the final judgement at the end of time. Only
in some cases, for which Augustine prescribes strict prerequisites
in order to reduce the negative consequences to a minimum, he
allows punitive measures against the evil, even their exclusion.
The aim is to be good, or at least to avoid greater evil, and
always to be guided by prudence. Christian love is the strength that
endures all and manages everything finding the path of personal
and others’ conversion in coexistence with the evil in the world and
in the Church and also with your own sinfulness.
Keywords
parable of the wheat and the tares; attitude toward the evils; Christian love; disciplinary measures
Hrčak ID:
92416
URI
Publication date:
21.11.2012.
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