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Free Will and Determinism in Religious Contexts
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Free Will
Free will refers to the ability of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or divine intervention. In many religious doctrines, it underpins the concept of moral responsibility and accountability before God.
Determinism
Determinism implies that all events, including human actions, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will. Some religious traditions suggest that determinism is compatible with divine omniscience and omnipotence.
Predestination
Predestination is the religious concept that God has predetermined all events, often including the eternal fate of human souls. This has profound implications for the human agency in traditions that embrace this doctrine.
Original Sin
Original Sin refers to the state of sinfulness all human beings are said to inherit from Adam and Eve's transgression. Debates around free will often involve whether humans are free to choose righteousness despite their sinful nature.
Divine Providence
Divine Providence is the sovereignty of God over events in the lives of individuals and throughout history. It raises questions regarding the extent of free will if God's will is ultimately supreme.
Compatibilism
Compatibilism is a philosophical stance that free will and determinism are not mutually exclusive. Some religious perspectives maintain that God's predetermination and human free will can coexist harmoniously.
Libertarianism (Philosophical)
In the context of philosophy of religion, libertarianism posits that free will is incompatible with determinism, and that individuals have genuine freedom to choose differently. This view often goes hand in hand with the idea of human souls being the ultimate source of uncaused actions.
Moral Responsibility
Moral responsibility involves being accountable for one's actions. In many religious frameworks, free will is necessary for moral responsibility, implying that individuals can be judged for their choices.
Divine Omnipotence
Divine omnipotence refers to an all-powerful deity, a belief central to many religions. The doctrine raises questions about how human free will can exist if an omnipotent being has the power to control everything.
Divine Omniscience
Divine omniscience is the attribute of God being all-knowing, including foreknowledge of all future events. This attribute is often discussed in relation to human free will and the potential paradox of knowing the future while allowing free choice.
Theodicy
Theodicy deals with the problem of evil in the world and how it can exist under a good and omnipotent God. The existence of evil is often used to argue for the presence of free will in humans, as a necessary counterpart to good.
Soul-making Theodicy
Soul-making Theodicy suggests that the world's challenges and sufferings exist as opportunities for soul development. This is often seen in light of free will, as it requires individuals to actively choose good over evil for spiritual growth.
Molinism
Molinism is a theory that reconciles God's providential control with human free will by proposing God's middle knowledge, where God knows what an individual would freely choose under any circumstance. It attempts to maintain both divine control and human freedom.
Pelagianism
Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that denies original sin and affirms the human ability to choose good without divine aid. It emphasizes human agency and the capacity for moral behavior based on free will.
Sin
Sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. In religions with the concept of free will, sin highlights the misuse of free will against God's will.
Grace
Grace, in a religious context, is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. It is a key component in determining how human free will interacts with divine assistance in achieving salvation.
Karma
Karma, in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, refers to the actions that influence one's future in the current life or in rebirth. It often implies a system of moral causation that respects one's free will to act.
Soteriology
Soteriology is the study of religious doctrines of salvation. The role of human free will in achieving salvation is a critical element in various religious soteriological perspectives.
Fatalism
Fatalism is the philosophical doctrine that all events are predetermined and thus inevitable, often by a divine power. This doctrine is typically seen as incompatible with the idea of free will, presenting a challenge to certain religious claims about human choice.
Dharma
Dharma, in Eastern religions, is the cosmic law and order but also refers to an individual's duty. Adherence to one's dharma is believed to be a choice that upholds cosmic harmony, indicating some level of free will in moral conduct.
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