Author: SHI Minmin, Professor, School of Marxism, Zhejiang Gongshang University
Abstract:
Scholars have focused more on Augustine’s theology of free will, grace, God, original sin, soul and political theology but less on his thought on creation or twofold-creation. This essay will focus on Augustine’s expositions of four biblical verses in Genesis 1 and 2, arguing Augustine, like his contemporary Greek fathers, believed that God's creation of heaven, angel and human beings is twofold. In Augustine's view, the twofold-creation of heaven means a transformation from the formless/eternal heaven to the heaven and earth with visible forms. By distinguishing dies anus and dies primus, Augustine inferred the creation of angel as “informis materia” on the first day and then was transformed as manifested beings-the “light”. Augustine explained the conflicts between Gen. 1:26-27 and 2:7 through twofold-creation theory, arguing that human beings was firstly created as “potentialiter atque causaliter” and then as “hominem” with gender identity. The author thinks that Augustine's thought on twofold-creation is unique and of great value. It is related to his other theological treatises such as his soteriology.
Keywords:
Augustine, Twofold-Creation, angels, man, Genesis
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