My Thoughts on Total Determinism (Divine Determinism) & Free Will in Theology
In theology, total determinism or divine determinism means that everything (macro and micro) is happening as it is and that it could not and would not have happened any other way.
"A" always and only ever leads to "B", which always and only ever leads to "C", which leads all the way to "Z". The world is composed of As, B's & C's that couldn't follow any path other than the one that they are following because they are A's, B's, and C's.
In total determinism, ALL the parameters are known.
When it comes to this involving God and applying it to God, I have to ask how applying this theology to God could be an absolute problem because the truth is that divine determinism is nothing more than another name for fatalism. For Calvinist for example, how does their view not make God the author of sin if God determines EVERYTHING from macro to micro?
Does God determine you to sin (hamartia in Greek which means literally to miss the mark) or not? If you say, yes you are in a conundrum because that means God made you sin. If He hasn't, then divine determinism is false and I'm correct. So which is it?
For those that believe in it, I wish they could prove to me that their God isn't the author of sin but alas I have yet to see that nor do I see it in the history of the Church either.
What I do see however, is free will being taught in the bible and by the Church.
Free will is defined by the Church simply as the ability to choose God or not choose God. It is an action taken by the autonomous individual apart from God to choose God's desired actions or not choose God's desired actions. That is and always has been free will and historically as I will share later was taught in Judaism as well as by the Early Church and Christianity. Church Fathers all affirm this as well.
Free will to them is pretty simple. It is the freedom to choose between good & evil and is also one aspect of human nature that is created in God's image. Sin stains the image of God but doesn't destroy it. Human beings have the right to accept or reject the gospel, but must accept the consequences of their decision like we see in Genesis 3:22-23 and Revelation 3:20.
The Church Fathers assert to choose today the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, the God we serve, and to bow down to no other gods.
To me, it seems silly why people reject free will in theology for Christianity. It seems to be the only legitimate way God can judge what is righteous and wrong. If I do the deed, I deal with the consequence of my action. In determinism, there is no way I should or can by any real legal standing, punish a lawnmower for running over the dog if I started it up in the first place and aligned its position towards the dog. No. It would be my fault for setting that up into motion.
I think at least when it comes to determinism, (at least from all of my dialogues since I became a believer in Christ) which I used to accept at a time as well, is actually rooted in a lack of trust in our Lord and His goodness because with free will there is less of a security for the believer's salvation whereas with a view that is total determinism, it gives the people the security they need.
(note to the reader: have you ever noticed most of the time none of the believers believe they are of the non-elect? Aside from a minority, I've found that to be the case)
I believe determinism requires less faith and trust in God. By leaning on the idol of determinism, it gives most an illusion about their security in life.
Historically though it is just untrue and the Early Church didn't believe it.
St. John Chrysostom says of free will: “All indeed depends on God, but not in such a way that our free will (τὸ αὐτεξούσιον) be hindered…. It is both up to us (ἐφ᾽ ἠμῖν) and up to Him (ἐφ᾽ αὐτῶ). For we must first choose the things that are good, and when we have chosen, then He brings in His own part. He does not anticipate our acts of will, lest our free will should suffer indignity; but when we have chosen, then He brings great assistance.”
Justin Martyr, an Early Christian says of free will: "For the coming into being at first was not in our own power; and in order that we may follow those things which please Him, choosing them by means of the rational faculties He has Himself endowed us with, He both persuades us and leads us to faith" (First Apology 10; ANF Vol. I, p. 165).
St. Irenaeus of Lyons affirming humanity’s capacity for faith: "Now all such expression demonstrate that man is in his own power with respect to faith" (Against the Heretics 4.37.2; ANF Vol. I p. 520).
St. Gregory of Nyssa who said of free will: "For He who holds sovereignty over the universe permitted something to be subject to our own control, over which each of us alone is master. Now this is the will: a thing that cannot be enslaved, being the power of self-determination" (Gregory of Nyssa, The Great Catechism, MPG 47, 77A; in Gabriel 2000:27).
For more I've listed this below but I hope this was informative to you in some way.
I don't fully endorse this website's content as it has some stuff that I feel is wrong about its characterization of Blessed Augustine in the Church. But other than this, the content with Church Father's Quotes is excellent.
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