Love-Caritas and Augustine’s Theology

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of caritas in Augustine’s theology. After the golden age of Latin patristics, Augustine distinguishes two types of love: heavenly love (caritas) and earthly love (cupiditas). The paths of the first love must be followed, the second should be avoided. The doctrine of the Divine Love of Augustine Aurelius is in deep unity with the triadology of the great Cappadocians, and, in general, with the Orthodox creed, which creates the basis for an intensive dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Catholics. Hesychasm was not alien to the theology of Augustine Aurelius, which was shown by the example of the doctrine of the Hesychia of caritative love. In prayer silence, in creative peace, caritative love lives. In silence, in hesychia, a word is revealed that is identical with love. Thus the study of Augustine's works in Latin originals made it possible to reconstruct his doctrine of caritive love (caritas) and come to the conclusion that the morphology of meanings of caritas love and love as agape (άγαπη) is identical.