On behalf of Augustinian realism

The doctrine of Augustinian realism is a way of construing how sin is transmitted in the doctrine of original sin that has fallen out of fashion in recent dogmatics. In this article, I attempt to say something on its behalf. I give an account of the doctrine, drawing on the work of several nineteenth-century systematic theologians. I then address several standard objections to the doctrine and argue that it has the conceptual resources to meet these worries. This is not to say that the doctrine is without problems; but it does give some reason for thinking that it is better resourced and worthy of more serious attention than it has received of late.