Augstine's View of Free Will?

[thistle93]

I just do not have enough time to read every book out there so can someone please summarize for me the main differences between Augustine's view of free will (which I am guessing probably speaks more of free agency than free will) and Arminian/Semi-Pelagian view of free will? I think this is a perfect example where people of different theological persuasions use same wording but mean something completely different. This is why I think we need to ask people what they mean when use certain phrases. Thank you!



For His Glory-
Matthew

 

[chuckd]

Chapter 9.—Concerning the Foreknowledge of God and the Free Will of Man, in Opposition to the Definition of Cicero.

 

[Gforce9]

So that you don't have to read several books, get R.C. Sproul's Willing to Believe. It is an excellent, historical look at the debate from Augustine to present, including Arminius, Wesley, Luther, Calvin, Chafer, and others. It is a one-stop shop on the issue with a good balance of readability and academic depth.

 

[RamistThomist]

Depends on which part of Augustine you are talking about. Any one sentence summary is bound to be misleading, but here's mine: freedom is freedom to live under God. We have a freed will. Earlier Augustine did believe in the normal definition of free will, but such is the case.