Regeneration: Free Will v. Sovereignty (PhD Edit)

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Regeneration: Free Will v Sovereignty (PhD Edit)

Both free will and sovereignty perspectives accept the Biblical idea of the culminated Kingdom, but free will places much more emphasis on the individual freely deciding that this is for him/her, rather than being determined in any way to do so. Free will advocates will understand the process as God making an offer and over time convincing persons to believe it. A devotion to God can only be a good thing when persons freely accept it.

Sovereignty perspectives reason that God alone makes the choice to begin a regeneration process that leads to salvation in a human being. F.F. Bruce (1996) explains that because of the universal fact of human sin, there is no way to be accepted by God by human means. This divinely guided change in a person must occur in order for salvation to ever take place within a human being with a corrupted nature.

This is not to presume that all Christians will develop character in a similar mature fashion. I admit that, in some cases, Christians may live relatively disobedient lives, but I am confident in finalized regeneration through the resurrection.

October 7, 2017

A person cannot predestine self in Jesus Christ as in Ephesians 1, Romans 8. A person cannot make one self, born again as in John 3. Rather these can be embraced as secondary human causes. It is not by libertarian free will as in incompatibilism and it is not by divine force or coercion, that is hard determinism. It is by soft determinism/compatibilism.

PhD, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, 2010: Theodicy and Practical Theology.

AUGUSTINE (388-395)(1964) On Free Choice of the Will, Translated by Anna S.Benjamin and L.H. Hackstaff, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.

AUGUSTINE (398-399)(1992) Confessions, Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

AUGUSTINE (400-416)(1987)(2004) On the Trinity, Translated by Reverend Arthur West Haddan, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 3, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia.

AUGUSTINE (421)(1998) Enchiridion, Translated by J.F. Shaw, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.knight.org/advent

AUGUSTINE (426)(1958) The City of God, Translated by Gerald G. Walsh, Garden City, New York, Image Books.

AUGUSTINE (427)(1997) On Christian Doctrine, Translated by D.W. Robertson Jr., Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.

AUGUSTINE (427b)(1997) On Christian Teaching, Translated by R.P.H. Green, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

BROWING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

BRUCE, F.F. (1985)(1996) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

FOULKES, FRANCIS (1989) Ephesians, Grand Rapids, Inter-Varsity Press.

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1975) Philosophy of Religion, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1978) The Roots of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1996) ‘Freedom, Free Will, and Determinism’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

GEISLER, NORMAN, L (1999) ‘The Problem of Evil’, in Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.

MCCANN, HUGH J. (2001) ‘Sovereignty and Freedom: A Reply to Rowe’, in Faith and Philosophy, Volume 18, Number 1, January, pp. 110-116. Wilmore, Kentucky, Asbury College.

The Apostle Paul & The Environment

Encountering page 301

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

Genesis and Colossians, as examples, make it biblically clear that God created the world.

Humankind are to live within it, in both this present fallen and tainted realm (Genesis 1-3, Romans) and in the culminated Kingdom of God (2 Peter 3, Revelation 21-22), and restored creation.

Responsible environmentalism would be the  requirement from God in both pre and post culmination Earth contexts.

To take philosophies to extremes and great error, these are to be avoided...

The stereotypical Christian corporate polluter, more so from decades past, that reasons it is permissible to pollute the Earth now because God will restore it later.

The radical environmentalist and/or 'mad scientist' that reasons that all carnivores should cease being carnivores or cease to exist. A possible James Bond villain.

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Augustine does not equal Augustine

CAIRNS, EARLE E. (1981) Christianity Through The Centuries, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.

To begin with a slight aside, to make use of my symbolic logic learning and research:

x = Augustine of Hippo
y = Augustine of Canterbury

(x) : ˜ (y)

Augustine of Hippo equals not Augustine of Canterbury, meaning Augustine of Hippo does not equal Augustine of Canterbury.

(x) ⊃ ˜ (y)

Augustine of Hippo means not Augustine of Canterbury, meaning Augustine of Hippo does not mean Augustine of Canterbury.

(x) < ˜ (y)

Augustine of Hippo is included not with Augustine of Canterbury, meaning Augustine of Hippo does not include Augustine of Canterbury,
---

Cairns:

Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) therefore commissioned the (166)...

'...monk Augustine, who must not be confused with Augustine of Hippo, to Britain and give the message of the gospel to the British. Augustine landed in Britain in 597 and soon won the king of Kent to Christianity. (168).

During the bible study I was at last evening, one of the senior members asked me if Augustine had gone to Britain in 300 AD. Well, having studied Augustine in the context of the problem of evil and incompatibilism (see archives versus compatibilism), for MPhil/PhD (Wales) research theses, I realized that Augustine of Hippo had lived during the 4th century (354 to 430 AD), and agreed that Augustine had lived in that era. But I admitted ignorance in regard to any British journey.

I am not an historian, but did have to work with historical exemplars. This less famous Augustine was very vague and so when I researched I rediscovered Augustine of Canterbury, estimated by some to be born in the first third of the 6th century, and at times listed as unknown, died probably 26 May 604/605.

I inform my students not to guess. Here is a slightly humourous example of why not to guess, if at all reasonably possible...

The Apostle Paul & God's Glory

Encountering page 240.

Pinterest: Edited

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.

The Pocket Dictionary explains that glory represents the unapproachable, mighty manifestation of the immediate presence of God. (55). This includes ideas of beauty and majesty. (55). God is viewed as holy (55), set apart from the sinfulness of humanity. (55).

Indeed, biblically and theologically, God is infinite, eternal, omnipotent and holy.

These connects in parallel to philosophical concepts of primary and first cause. Often mentioned on this website.

God's glory includes his sovereignty and righteousness, according to Browning. (151).

The sovereignty of God and the righteousness of God, and Jesus Christ as God and perfect man, certainly Pauline concepts (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians).

The 'Encountering' text reasons the Apostle Paul views God as infinitely wise, all-knowing and immortal. He made the heavens and the earth and everything in them. (240). God is eternal and immortal. (240).

Beginning with Paul's New Testament documented vision of the Lord, Jesus Christ in Acts 9, Paul's regeneration and conversion, this relationship between Paul and the triune God developed. The Apostle Paul combined this supernatural understanding, gospel teaching and his Hebrew Bible training to develop his theology which included a theology of the glory of God.

Contrary to the views of some critics; Paul's theology certainly was not developed in competition to the teachings of Jesus Christ and his first disciples. Paul's teaching amplified their work through theological explanation which makes sense as Paul was a Hebrew (Bible) scholar prior to (and after) his regeneration and conversion.

Bible Hub: Doxa

'Strong's Concordance doxa: opinion (always good in N.T.), hence praise, honor, glory Original Word: δόξα, ης, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: doxa Phonetic Spelling: (dox'-ah) Short Definition: honor, renown, glory splendor Definition: honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor.'