Fallen Angels in the Theology of St Augustine by Gregory Wiebe;

Author:Gregory Wiebe; [Wiebe, Gregory D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780192661142
Publisher: OUP Premium
Published: 2021-08-17T00:00:00+00:00

Demonic Deception

Given that they are incapable of manipulating the intellect, the foundation of demons’ activity is in false appearances. Augustine frequently refers to the Apostle Paul’s description of Satan as one who can appear as an angel of the light, and it is a key image for him of this demonic deception:15

The discernment of these experiences is certainly a most difficult task when the evil spirit acts in a seemingly peaceful manner and, without tormenting the body, possesses a man’s spirit and says what he is able, sometimes even speaking the truth and disclosing useful knowledge of the future. In this case he transforms himself, according to Scripture, as if into an angel of light, in order that, once having gained his victim’s confidence in matters that are manifestly good, he may then lure his victim into his snares.16

Through false and deceptive appearances, demons seduce people to adhere to a lie by associating the lie with apparent goodness, the semblance of truth, even factual correctness. There is a political criticism here to which we will return in Chapter 6. Augustine denounces Roman leaders who justify pernicious public rituals and festivals because of the revelation of prophecy or even good morals supposed to have been shown secretly to a few chosen initiates: ‘Out of doors, therefore, foul impiety clamours unceasingly around the people on every hand, while, inside, a feigned chastity whispers to the few.’17 Likewise, Augustine regards the oracle of Hecate cited in Porphyry’s Philosophy from Oracles to be demonic precisely because it seductively testifies to the exceeding piety of Christ at the very moment it denies his divinity, and thereby attacks the worship of the one true God like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.18 In these cases, lies are justified and rationalized on the basis of apparent necessity or what prima facie seems eminently reasonable.

This kind of deception, where the appearance of goodness belies a falsehood beneath, is more fundamentally the very logic of temptation. Early in Augustine’s career, he liked to describe the devil as having the power to tempt through three forms of desire (cupiditati triplici): pride or the desire for superiority (superbia, excellentia, pompa), the desires of the flesh (inlicitae delectationes, uoluptates, carnale desiderium), and curiosity or the desire for knowledge or spectacles (curiositas, spectaculi).19 These three basic temptations are named in 1 John 2:16, and correspond to the three angles of attack in the devil’s temptation of Christ in the desert.20 The devil rules over those who love the world not by commanding their loves in an interior way, but because those who love temporal things in any or all of their three aspects thereby neglect the love of God and become a possession of the devil: ‘These things of the world, by their deadly delight, enslave the lovers of things transitory, and compel them to serve the devil and his angels.’21 The reader interested in extended reflection on the myriad forms these temptations can take should refer to Augustine’s extensive self-examination for any trace of these three errant forms of love in Book 10 of Confessions.

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