Theology for the Church

The Reformed, Jonathan Edwards, and Free Will with Drew Sparks

May 27, 2024

Join Caleb in a discussion with PhD Drew Sparks on free will in the Reformed tradition and Jonathan Edwards' theological insights. They explore concepts like intellect, will, determinism, and God's decree, comparing Edwards' views to other Reformed theologians. Dive into the complexities of human freedom, moral responsibility, and Christ's impeccability in relation to worship.

01:04:52

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Episode guests

Drew Sparks

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Reformed tradition highlights intellect and will in free will understanding.

God's sovereign decree and foreknowledge are central in Reformed theology.

Jonathan Edwards aligns with Reformed theology in intertwining Christology with free will.

Deep dives

Human Intellect and Will in the Reformed Tradition

The Reformed tradition emphasizes that human intellect and will play a crucial role in understanding free will. Figures like Perkins, Turritin, and Calvin focus on the relationship between reason and will in determining free actions. They argue that the human will can choose based on reasons provided by the mind, aligning with the doctrine that an individual acts freely when acting from reasons and engaging the will.

Intro

4min

Exploring Free Will and Providence in Christian Theology

8min

The Significance of Intellect and Will in Human Nature

11min

Exploring Free Will vs. Determinism

8min

Exploring Free Will within the Reformed Tradition

27min

Exploring Free Will, Christ's Impeccability, and Worshiping God

2min

Exploring Recommended Resources on Free Will and Jonathan Edwards

5min

In this episode, Caleb is joined by Drew Sparks (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) pastor at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in Terre Haute, Indiana to discuss free will in the reformed tradition and just how closely Jonathan Edwards was to his forbearers in this area of theology.

Together they discuss questions like: what are the intellect and will? What is the difference between metaphysical and moral freedom? What are determinism, incompatibilism, and compatibilism? What do these things have to do with God’s decree, foreknowledge, and Christ’s human freedom? How close was Edwards conception of free will to the Reformed? And More.

Resources

Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards https://a.co/d/d7QIGnN
The Providence of God by Paul Helmhttps://a.co/d/aenV7HB
Reforming Free Will: A Conversation on the History of Reformed Views by Paul Helm https://a.co/d/ijjCd8j
A Reformed View of Freedom by Mike Preciadohttps://a.co/d/5BnuDHq
Excusing Sinners and Blaming God: A Calvinist Assessment of Determinism, Moral Responsibility, and Divine Involvement in Evil by Guillaume Bignon https://a.co/d/28aZ4DV
Why Is There Evil in the World (and So Much of It?) by Greg Weltyhttps://a.co/d/3f1NOKf

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Theology for the Church

The Reformed, Jonathan Edwards, and Free Will with Drew Sparks

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Human Intellect and Will in the Reformed Tradition

Divine Decree and Human Freedom in Reformed Theology

Jonathan Edwards' Theological Approach to Free Will

Contemporary Discussions and Caution Regarding Free Will

Recommended Resources for Further Study

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts