The Freedom of the Will
Encyclopedia
An Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions of the Freedom of the Will which is Supposed to be Essential to Moral Agency, Virtue and Vice, Reward and Punishment, Praise and Blame or simply The Freedom of the Will, is a work by Christian reformer, theologian, and author Jonathan Edwards which uses the text of Romans
16 as its basis. It was first published in 1754 and examines the nature and the status of man's will
. The book takes the classic Calvinist
viewpoint on total depravity
of the will and the need of man for God's grace in salvation.
Although written long before the modern introduction and debate over Open Theism
, Edwards' work addresses many of the concerns that have been raised today over this view.
One of the authors that provoked the writing of The Freedom of the Will was Daniel Whitby
. Whitby was an Arminian
minister of the Church of England
who was known for his anti-Calvinist
viewpoint and his statement that “It is better to deny prescience [foreknowledge] than liberty.” It is this claim that Edwards attempts to answer in The Freedom of the Will. Edwards responded that man may freely choose whatever seems good to him, but that whatever it is that seems good to him is based on an inherent predisposition that has been foreordained by God.
The Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle to the Romans is a commentary by Swiss theologian Karl Barth on the New Testament Epistle to the Romans.First written in 1919, and later modified in 1922, Epistle to the Romans is significant as Barth's first major work, defined by his reaction against German Protestant Liberalism...
16 as its basis. It was first published in 1754 and examines the nature and the status of man's will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
. The book takes the classic Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
viewpoint on total depravity
Total depravity
Total depravity is a theological doctrine that derives from the Augustinian concept of original sin...
of the will and the need of man for God's grace in salvation.
Although written long before the modern introduction and debate over Open Theism
Open theism
Open theism is a recent theological movement that has developed within evangelical and post-evangelical Protestant Christianity as a response to certain ideas that are related to the synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian theology...
, Edwards' work addresses many of the concerns that have been raised today over this view.
One of the authors that provoked the writing of The Freedom of the Will was Daniel Whitby
Daniel Whitby
Daniel Whitby was a controversial English theologian and biblical commentator. An Arminian priest in the Church of England, Whitby was known as strongly anti-Calvinistic and later gave evidence of strong Arian and Unitarian tendencies....
. Whitby was an Arminian
Arminianism
Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
minister of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
who was known for his anti-Calvinist
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
viewpoint and his statement that “It is better to deny prescience [foreknowledge] than liberty.” It is this claim that Edwards attempts to answer in The Freedom of the Will. Edwards responded that man may freely choose whatever seems good to him, but that whatever it is that seems good to him is based on an inherent predisposition that has been foreordained by God.
External links
See also
- A Faithful Narrative
- Religious AffectionsReligious AffectionsA Treatise Concerning Religious Affections is a famous publication written in 1746 by Jonathan Edwards describing his philosophy about the process of Christian conversion in Northampton, Massachusetts during the Great Awakening, which emanated from Edwards' congregation starting in...