Free Will: Protestants v Catholics

cecat90 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-13-2009, 05:20 PM

Is there a difference between how Arminian Protestants see Free Will as opposed to the Catholic Church?

I know that Protestant is a broad term that covers a lot of different denominations, but in general, when compared to the Catholic Church' concept on free will, do the two see differently anywhere on this issue ?

Reformed Thomist · #2 (**permalink**) 07-13-2009, 06:22 PM

I think we may be able to say that the will is less 'free' according to the Roman Catholic Church, insofar as this communion teaches that the actual infusion of grace in a new believer -- the 'moment of conversion', so to speak, that which gets the ball rolling in a person's faith life -- is one-hundred percent from the Lord. That is, it is operative or monergistic: a free, unmerited, undeserved gift from God to the individual man. A man cannot simply 'choose' on his own to believe in the articles of faith when they are presented to him, or even contribute to his being able to believe. This is due to the RCC's appreciation of the doctrine of Original Sin; in order for a man to be saved, the first step toward that (very distant and very uncertain, as least from our perspective) end must be made by God alone, and this Divine act is effectual, simply happening to the (passive) person, who does not -- cannot -- resist it. When a Roman Catholic says that his faith is a "gift from God," he means it, at least with respect to the initial faith-producing infusion of grace.

(Of course, from this point on things begin to look more synergistic or co-operative: the 'new man' can nonetheless go on to commit mortal sin after the fact, destroying the grace that he had received from God. When this happens, he is required to seek out the Sacrament of Penance -- that is, if God so finds it in His will to distribute the grace necessary for this positive decision [which may or may not happen] -- which restores him to a state of grace, etc., and off he goes on his merry way into the system of sacramental soteriology, hoping to be a good enough boy, grace-cooperative enough, that he will be in a state of grace when he happens to kick off.)

dr_parsley · #3 (**permalink**) 07-14-2009, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cecat90

Is there a difference between how Arminian Protestants see Free Will as opposed to the Catholic Church?

I know that Protestant is a broad term that covers a lot of different denominations, but in general, when compared to the Catholic Church' concept on free will, do the two see differently anywhere on this issue ?

They see it as less important. Thomists and Molinists exist within the same church and have been told not to argue too much. Amongst people on the ground, they probably veer towards Arminian/Molinist in the absence of a clear teaching.