{"product_id":"a-primer-on-augustines-understanding-of-god-the-moral-order-free-will-and-grace-with-contrasting-views-from-other-philosophers-and-theologians-paperback","title":"A Primer on Augustine's Understanding of God, the Moral Order, Free Will, and Grace: With Contrasting Views from Other Philosophers and Theologians - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMichael Petruzzelli\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis work provides an overview of Augustine's philosophical and theological understanding of God, the moral order, and the struggle each person faces to pursue the higher moral inclinations over the lower carnal inclinations of fallen human nature. Central to this struggle as Augustine experienced it is the need to overcome the split of the human will into two wills--one spiritual and one carnal--that vie for dominance, as was experienced by Augustine and which every person encounters. Augustine argues that while the human person has free choice of the will, ultimately God's help is needed to overcome the general lust for what this world offers, so as to freely choose the higher good which God offers and which good each person can know and for which one can strive but only with this divine help can one attain. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What particularly obstructs both the knowledge of, and the striving for, good is a person's self-deception in which the person refuses to accept the knowledge of, and tendency toward, vice and evil which each person to some extent and in various ways is inclined. Self-deception once chosen by the person obstructs knowledge of good and further limits free choice of the will until the person is liberated by God's grace.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMichael Petruzzelli holds three master's degrees--a master of arts in philosophy from Duquesne University, a master of arts in theology from Franciscan University, and a master in religious studies (MRS) at Catholic Distance University. He taught ten years full time at a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, as well as serving as a director of religious education at a parish in the archdiocese.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 262\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.55 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 05, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53329616896307,"sku":"9798385255665","price":43.72,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/Ri_UMN8ndf9798385255665.webp?v=1778171442","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/products\/a-primer-on-augustines-understanding-of-god-the-moral-order-free-will-and-grace-with-contrasting-views-from-other-philosophers-and-theologians-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}