Free Will

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Basically we are free to do what ever we want. God loves us so much that he allows this. We are free to do good and we are free to do evil. However, what we choose to do determines whether or not we see the face of Jesus or the ugly face of satan after we have passed from this life.
 
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Free Will- Catholic Doctrine …The teaching of St. Augustine is developed by St. Thomas Aquinas both in theology and philosophy. Will is rational appetite. Man necessarily desires beatitude, but he can freely choose between different forms of it. Free will is simply this elective power.

Infinite Good is not visible to the intellect in this life.

There are always some drawbacks and deficiencies in every good presented to us. None of them exhausts our intellectual capacity of conceiving the good. Consequently, in deliberate volition, not one of them completely satiates or irresistibly entices the will. In this capability of the intellect for conceiving the universal lies the root of our freedom.

But God possesses an infallible knowledge of man’s future actions. How is this prevision possible, if man’s future acts are not necessary?

God does not exist in time. The future and the past are alike ever present to the eternal mind as a man gazing down from a lofty mountain takes in at one momentary glance all the objects which can be apprehended only through a lengthy series of successive experiences by travellers along the winding road beneath, in somewhat similar fashion the intuitive vision of God apprehends simultaneously what is future to us with all it contains.

Further, God’s omnipotent providence exercises a complete and perfect control over all events that happen, or will happen, in the universe.

newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htm#chr
 
John Paul II said:
  1. A core part of the human dignity is freedom.
  2. Freedom means freedom to make choices based on Truth, distinguishing right from wrong.
  3. Freedom does not give someone “approval” to make choices based on lies, or their own needs/desires that conflict with the Truth.
  4. The definition of Truth is the Word, Jesus Christ. There is no other truth.
  5. Even if someone is making bad choices, the Church defends their right to make them without persecution.
 
Two main streams of thought in Catholic theology which attempt to avoid pelagianism while maintaining free will.
Molinism newadvent.org/cathen/10437a.htm

and Banes’ interpretation on Aquinas
newadvent.org/cathen/02247a.htm

The two men didn’t get along.

Incidently, most modern theology (ever since the nominalists in the 14th century) simply avoids the issues and lapses into semi-pelagianism.

Adam
 
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amarischuk:
Incidently, most modern theology (ever since the nominalists in the 14th century) simply avoids the issues and lapses into semi-pelagianism.

Adam
How?
 
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