Privatio Boni
Definition: Latin theological term (privatio = deprivation; boni = of good) for the classical formulation that evil is not a positive, substantive reality, but merely an absence or deficiency of good.
Philosophical Foundation
Privatio boni derives from Platonic philosophy and was adopted by Church Fathers such as Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa. It distinguishes itself from dualistic views (wherein evil has its own substance).
Implications for Universal Reconciliation
In Universal Reconciliation, privatio boni is crucial:
- Because evil possesses no essential reality, it cannot endure eternally
- It disappears not by destruction but by absence (when all is good, no evil can “exist”)
- God’s status as “all in all” automatically implies that no evil can remain
Gregory of Nyssa:
“God will be ‘in all’ only when no trace of evil is to be found in anything.”
Hamartological Significance
For hamartology (doctrine of sin), this means:
- Sin is deficiency in righteousness, not an active adversarial force
- Sin can be healed/neutralized, not merely punished
Opposing Concept
- Substantive dualism: Good and evil as equivalent, opposing powers (Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism)
Sources
- Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on 1 Corinthians
- Augustine, Confessions
- Stephen E. Jones, hamartology b9