The Thomistic Institute Divine Causality and Human Freedom | Prof. W. Matthews Grant
5 snips
Jan 31, 2025 
W. Matthews Grant, a prominent philosopher and expert on Aquinas, dives deep into the intricacies of divine causality and human freedom. He discusses how God's role as the ultimate source of existence aligns with human autonomy, referencing insights from thinkers like Alvin Plantinga. Grant challenges conventional views, proposing a 'both-and' framework to reconcile God's influence and moral responsibility. His engaging exploration highlights the complexity of divine agency, offering a fresh perspective on the relationship between faith and free will.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Tension Between Freedom and Divine Causality
- There's tension between our intuitive understanding of freedom and the traditional Christian doctrine of divine universal causality.
- We struggle to reconcile God causing our free acts with our sense of autonomy.
Anthropomorphism and Divine Agency
- Aquinas suggests our difficulty stems from an anthropomorphic view of God's agency.
- We mistakenly model God's causality on our own limited understanding, creating a false conflict.
Requirements for Free Acts
- Free, responsible acts require intentionality and agent control.
- An act is free if done on purpose and within the agent's power to choose otherwise.