Francis Turretin and Jonathan Edwards on Compatibilism

The aim of this article is to show that the claim of Richard Muller in his recent book Divine Will and Human Choice: Freedom, Contingency, and Necessity in Early Modern Reformed Thought, that the Reformed Orthodox were not compatibilists in their view of freedom but held to the indeterminate freedom...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Helm, Paul 1940- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Brill [2018]
In: Journal of reformed theology
Year: 2018, Volume: 12, Issue: 4, Pages: 335-355
IxTheo Classification:KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance
KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history
KDD Protestant Church
NBE Anthropology
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B potency
B Edwards
B Compatibilism
B Muller
B Freedom
B synchronic
B Contingency
B Turretin
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:The aim of this article is to show that the claim of Richard Muller in his recent book Divine Will and Human Choice: Freedom, Contingency, and Necessity in Early Modern Reformed Thought, that the Reformed Orthodox were not compatibilists in their view of freedom but held to the indeterminate freedom of the will, is false. The argument takes the reader through Turretin's claim in his Institutes that freedom does not consist in indifference but in rational spontaneity. It assesses Muller's argument that indeterminate freedom incorporates choices between two or more contraries and of none by showing that Edwards respected the same distinctions, and that Turretin and Edwards were agreed that God, the human nature of Christ, and the redeemed in heaven did not act from indifference. The article ends with remarks on Muller's interpretation of Turretin's position, that it involves ‘multiple potencies,' arguing that this proposal meets serious difficulties.
ISSN:1569-7312
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of reformed theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15697312-01204002