WJEC/Eduqas RS for A2/Yr2: Religion and Ethics (DRAFT)

T4 Determinism and free will

Key quote Sin is the result of the abuse of creaturely freedom of choice. Sin was not inevitable for creation. It was not forced upon human creatures by some independent evil force … it was not forced upon humans by God … Sin is the result of the abuse of the precious gift of freedom that God graciously bestowed upon humanity. (Stranglin and McCall) Unlike the earlier free will theology by Pelagius, Arminius believed that original sin, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, was bad for humankind. For Arminius, original sin is a lack of original righteousness but it is also a punishment. The physical punishments are pain and death but the spiritual punishments are less clear to him. Arminius considers whether spiritually original sin meant deprivation or depravation. Deprivation is to be deprived of the original spiritual likeness to God, created in his image that existed prior to original sin but has somehow been lost due to the fall of humanity. Depravation is the idea that a certain state was generated, or in Arminius’ words ‘infused’ into humanity because of original sin. Arminius tends towards the idea that the consequence of original sin was to be deprived of, or lacking, what he calls ‘original righteousness and of primeval holiness, with an inclination to sinning, which likewise formerly existed in humanity, although it was not as vehement nor so disordered as it is now’. Despite all this, the two meanings of deprivation and depravation have often been conflated and seen as two sides of the same original sin coin. Therefore, in the fallen state, human beings are deprived of that original righteousness that could so easily seek out good. Despite this, God’s providence does give the grace to choose freely the righteous path in life through faith. Arminius’ understanding of original sin means that human beings are not necessarily predestined to continually sin. This is because of God’s loving grace. God’s grace, for Arminius, is associated with the Holy Spirit. This association of God’s grace with God’s Holy Spirit is called ‘ prevenient grace ’ because it is God’s grace precedes each human moral decision. Arminius believes that within all human beings God has placed his Holy Spirit. God’s subsequent grace works through God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit encourages all human beings to do good works. As Arminius stated the Holy Spirit will: ‘fight against Satan, sin, the world and their own flesh’. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will be ever present to aid and assist believers through various temptations. Accordingly, salvation is freely chosen by the righteous but it is not awarded on grounds of merit, as Rustin Brian comments: ‘That God might save an infant that has committed no sin is definitely within the realm of possibility for a loving, gracious and all-powerful God. It must also be pointed out that if God elects to do so, it is surely not because salvation is owed, in any way, to any human, let alone an infant. Rather, salvation is the result of God’s grace. It is God’s hope for humanity, sinful as it is, and it is the hope of God that all might be saved.’ Therefore, despite the encasement of divine providence and the notion of concurrence, Arminius held very strongly that free will was possible within the divine plan. By free will Arminius meant a clear and obvious choice not based upon determinism of causality or context, but a real choice between authentic and actual unconstrained alternatives. The way this was made possible was through the notion of conditional predestination based upon middle knowledge.

God’s providence provides the grace to choose freely a righteous path in life.

DRAFT

Key term Prevenient grace: God’s grace that precedes each human moral decision, associated with the Holy Spirit

Key quotes Arminius believed that the

culpability of that first sin affected, and continues to affect all people, both biologically and socially. (Brian) In this [fallen] state, the free will of man towards the true good is wounded, infirm, bent, and weakened. (Arminius) Arminius also believes that God is providentially active in a world marred by sin. Because God is good, he exercises his omnipotence to bring good from evil. (Stranglin and McCall)

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