Annotation CCXLVI, Whether Adam, by sinning, lost the image [of God] (Romans 8:21)

Annotation CCXLVI

”And the creature itself also shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption,” etc. — Romans 8:21

Whether Adam, by sinning, lost the image [of God].

Augustine, in the book of 83 Questions, question 67, seems to have said two [things]: one, that the first man, by sinning, lost the image of God; the other, that the lowest angels live “animally” [after the manner of animals]. Both he retracted [in] the first book of the Retractations, chapter 26, in these words: “WHEN I was expounding [that] which is written, ‘And the creature itself also shall be delivered from the servitude of destruction,’ I said: ‘And the creature itself, that is, man himself — the seal of the image being lost on account of sin — remained only a creature.’ Which is not so to be taken, as though man lost the whole [of that] which he had of the image of God. For, if he had lost [it] altogether, there would be nothing on account of which it might be said:¹ ‘Be ye reformed in the newness of your mind’; and, ‘we are transformed into the same image.’ But, again, if he had lost the whole, nothing would remain whence it might be said: ‘Although man walk in [the] image, yet he is vainly disquieted.’ Likewise, [as to] that which I said — that the highest angels live ‘spiritually,’ but the lowest ‘animally’ — [that] was said too boldly of the lowest [angels], [more] than it can be shown either by the holy scriptures or by the things themselves: for although perhaps it can [be shown], it can [be shown only] most difficultly.”