Free Will
A Post-Barthian view of Free will, especially in comparison to those of Augustine, offer a distinctive perspective within Christian theology. Here’s an overview of this stance on free will and how it compares to Augustine's views:
### Post-Barthian Theologian Jurgen Moltmann on Free Will:
1. **Eschatological Perspective:** Theology is deeply eschatological, focusing on the future fulfillment of God's promises. Human freedom in the context of God’s redemptive plan for the world, emphasizing that true freedom is realized in the relationship with God and the hope of the coming Kingdom.
2. **Relational Freedom:** Human freedom is relational and dynamic, rather than merely autonomous. True freedom involves a participatory relationship with God, where human beings respond to God's invitation to live in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
3. **Freedom and Hope:** Hope plays a crucial role in understanding freedom. The freedom to hope for a better future and to work towards it is central to his theology. This hope is not just individual but communal, oriented towards the transformation of the world.
4. **Freedom in Community:** Moltmann stresses the importance of community in the exercise of free will. He believes that freedom is best understood and practiced within the context of a supportive and transformative community that reflects God's love and justice.
### Augustine on Free Will:
1. **Original Sin and Human Will:** Augustine's views on free will are heavily influenced by his doctrine of original sin. He argues that human will is fundamentally corrupted by sin, which limits the capacity to choose good without divine grace.
2. **Grace and Freedom:** Augustine asserts that true freedom is found in the grace of God. Without grace, humans are bound by sin and incapable of choosing God. It is through God's grace that the will is liberated to love and follow God.
3. **Predestination:** Augustine’s later writings emphasize the doctrine of predestination, suggesting that God has foreordained certain individuals to salvation. This perspective places a strong emphasis on divine sovereignty over human will.
### Comparison:
1. **Nature of Freedom:** Moltmann views freedom more relationally and dynamically, emphasizing hope and community, while Augustine views freedom primarily in terms of liberation from sin through divine grace.
2. **Role of Sin:** Augustine sees human will as deeply corrupted by original sin, necessitating divine intervention for true freedom. Moltmann, while acknowledging sin, places greater emphasis on the eschatological hope and the transformative power of God's future.
3. **Divine Grace:** Both theologians agree on the necessity of grace for true freedom, but Augustine focuses more on grace as a means to overcome sin, while Moltmann emphasizes grace as enabling participation in God's redemptive work and future.
4. **Community and Individuality:** Moltmann stresses the communal aspect of freedom, where true freedom is experienced and expressed within the body of believers working towards the Kingdom of God. Augustine, although recognizing the church's role, emphasizes the individual's relationship with God's grace.
### Conclusion:
Moltmann and Augustine offer different but complementary views on free will. Augustine emphasizes the necessity of divine grace to overcome the bondage of sin, while Moltmann highlights the relational and eschatological dimensions of freedom, focusing on hope and community. Both perspectives contribute to a rich understanding of free will in the Christian tradition, with Moltmann providing a hopeful, forward-looking vision that complements Augustine's foundational insights into human will and divine grace.
### Post-Barthian Theologian Jurgen Moltmann on Free Will:
1. **Eschatological Perspective:** Theology is deeply eschatological, focusing on the future fulfillment of God's promises. Human freedom in the context of God’s redemptive plan for the world, emphasizing that true freedom is realized in the relationship with God and the hope of the coming Kingdom.
2. **Relational Freedom:** Human freedom is relational and dynamic, rather than merely autonomous. True freedom involves a participatory relationship with God, where human beings respond to God's invitation to live in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
3. **Freedom and Hope:** Hope plays a crucial role in understanding freedom. The freedom to hope for a better future and to work towards it is central to his theology. This hope is not just individual but communal, oriented towards the transformation of the world.
4. **Freedom in Community:** Moltmann stresses the importance of community in the exercise of free will. He believes that freedom is best understood and practiced within the context of a supportive and transformative community that reflects God's love and justice.
### Augustine on Free Will:
1. **Original Sin and Human Will:** Augustine's views on free will are heavily influenced by his doctrine of original sin. He argues that human will is fundamentally corrupted by sin, which limits the capacity to choose good without divine grace.
2. **Grace and Freedom:** Augustine asserts that true freedom is found in the grace of God. Without grace, humans are bound by sin and incapable of choosing God. It is through God's grace that the will is liberated to love and follow God.
3. **Predestination:** Augustine’s later writings emphasize the doctrine of predestination, suggesting that God has foreordained certain individuals to salvation. This perspective places a strong emphasis on divine sovereignty over human will.
### Comparison:
1. **Nature of Freedom:** Moltmann views freedom more relationally and dynamically, emphasizing hope and community, while Augustine views freedom primarily in terms of liberation from sin through divine grace.
2. **Role of Sin:** Augustine sees human will as deeply corrupted by original sin, necessitating divine intervention for true freedom. Moltmann, while acknowledging sin, places greater emphasis on the eschatological hope and the transformative power of God's future.
3. **Divine Grace:** Both theologians agree on the necessity of grace for true freedom, but Augustine focuses more on grace as a means to overcome sin, while Moltmann emphasizes grace as enabling participation in God's redemptive work and future.
4. **Community and Individuality:** Moltmann stresses the communal aspect of freedom, where true freedom is experienced and expressed within the body of believers working towards the Kingdom of God. Augustine, although recognizing the church's role, emphasizes the individual's relationship with God's grace.
### Conclusion:
Moltmann and Augustine offer different but complementary views on free will. Augustine emphasizes the necessity of divine grace to overcome the bondage of sin, while Moltmann highlights the relational and eschatological dimensions of freedom, focusing on hope and community. Both perspectives contribute to a rich understanding of free will in the Christian tradition, with Moltmann providing a hopeful, forward-looking vision that complements Augustine's foundational insights into human will and divine grace.
