Creatio ex nihilo and the theology of St. Augustine

By N. Joseph Torchia

Book Description

This scholarly exploration delves into one of Christianity's most profound theological concepts through the lens of one of its greatest thinkers. N. Joseph Torchia examines how Saint Augustine wielded the doctrine of creation from nothing as a powerful intellectual weapon in his theological battles against the Manichaeans, a religious movement that challenged early Christian understanding of God and creation.

At its heart, this work reveals how Augustine used the principle that God created everything from absolute nothingness to dismantle his opponents' worldview and their explanations of evil's existence. Torchia demonstrates that this wasn't merely an abstract theological debate, but a fundamental question about the nature of reality itself.

The study illuminates how Augustine's embrace of creation from nothing allowed him to establish clear boundaries between the divine and the created world. By affirming that all existence springs from God's creative act rather than from pre-existing matter, Augustine could argue that creation is inherently finite and changeable, while God remains infinite and unchanging.

For readers interested in the intersection of philosophy and spirituality, this work offers insight into how theological concepts shape our understanding of existence, divine nature, and humanity's place in the cosmos. Torchia's analysis spans 279 pages, tracing how these foundational ideas influenced Augustine's broader theological framework and continue to resonate in Christian thought today.