Free Will the Issue of Term Paper

Human beings understand that their free will is not threatened by the future of the stars. Faith is a choice that need not be influenced by the fact that the sun will one day burn away. Nor is faith influenced by the ineffability of divine foreknowledge. Human beings have but a partial understanding of the divine and indeed of the universe. It is therefore not a matter of whether God has "chosen" a particular individual to be saved, but whether that individual chooses for him- or herself to be saved. This is done on the basis of the influencing factors mentioned above.

In conclusion, when the scale of divine foreknowledge is reduced to human scale, this creates a paradox that cannot be solved. Instead, divine foreknowledge should be seen for what it is - a force on a universal scale that can only be understood partially by the human mind. It is compatible with human free will, because human beings are not forced by any means to make the choice for or against Christian salvation.For the current religious environment, free will is more important, and can be used with greater confidence than ever before.

Bibliography

Murray, Christine. St. Augustine and Free Will. Catholic Online, 27 Aug, 2004. http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1282

Rogers, Katherin a. Anselm on Grace and Free Will. The Saint Anselm Journal 2.2, Spring 2005. http://www.anselm.edu/library/SAJ/pdf/22Rogers.pdf

Swartz, Norman. Notes on Free Will and Determinism. Oct 7, 2004. http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/swartz/freewill1.htm.....