Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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PURE NATURE

The theoretical condition in which humanity would possess all that, and only that, which belongs to human nature and in which a person could attain to a natural final end only. Although merely possible, the idea of a state of pure nature is defended by the Church in order to safeguard the supernatural order, denied by Luther, Calvin, and Jansen. The Church, therefore, teaches that God could have created human beings without supernatural or preternatural gifts, but not in a condition of sin.