St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology (Aug 2022)
Free Will
Abstract
Free will is a perennial theological and philosophical topic. As a central dogmatic locus, it has been implicated in debates about core Christian doctrines, such as grace, salvation, sin, providence, evil, and predestination. Despite its venerable history in both philosophy and theology, it is not at all clear whether there actually is a single phenomenon of ‘the will’ that multiple accounts seek to describe. Rather, we should acknowledge that different authors use the concepts of ‘will’ and ‘freedom of the will’ in somewhat different ways. Due to its elusive and multifaceted nature, free will has become a divisive topic among Christian churches, denominations, and theological schools of thought. The doctrines most shaped by assumptions about the will, such as sin, grace, and predestination, remain the subjects of ecumenical disagreements even today. The entry will begin by laying out some of the basic concepts that guide the free will debate and introduce some of the basic models that have emerged in Christian theology and philosophy. It will then provide brief overviews of different topics that have emerged in the debates that continue into the present day. The approach taken is more philosophical than theological, because philosophy has played a significant part in the theological debate. Ancient and medieval theologizing was deeply influenced by ancient philosophy, especially Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. From the seventeenth century onwards, the natural sciences have also played a significant part in motivating the debate. The entry adopts a contemporary, philosophical perspective and does not seek to provide a thorough historical narrative of the development of the concept of free will. However, most contemporary debates on free will have deep historical roots: for instance, the problem of God’s foreknowledge and free will was already identified by pre-Christian Greek philosophers.
