Unconditional Election

[ThundersnowIV]

As a Catholic, I have always argued against the reformed theology of unconditional election. After having many discussions with dear Calvinist friends…and doing some research I am finding some rather interesting points. One of them is that one of the greatest doctors of the Church believed in unconditional election. Yes…St Augustine. Comments?

reasons.org/blogs/reflections/top-ten-things-augustine-contributed-to-philosophy-part-ii-2

 

[Ad_Orientem]

So too St. Thomas Aquinas (S.T. I, Q. 23, a5).

Trent’s decree on justification condemned the idea that God positively wills the damnation of some souls as some Protestants have held. St. Thomas did not hold such a view, but stated rather that God *permits *some souls to fall away through their own fault (S.T. I, 23, a3).

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, who wrote an excellent commentary on St. Thomas’s Summa, also wrote a book on the subject of Predestination, which may illuminate the topic for you.

 

[RomanoAmerio]

So too St. Thomas Aquinas (S.T. I, Q. 23, a5).

Trent’s decree on justification condemned the idea that God positively wills the damnation of some souls as some Protestants have held. St. Thomas did not hold such a view, but stated rather that God *permits *some souls to fall away through their own fault (S.T. I, 23, a3).

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, who wrote an excellent commentary on St. Thomas’s Summa, also wrote a book on the subject of Predestination, which may illuminate the topic for you.

Dear Ad Orientem,

That is correct. The classical Thomistic view is actually not too far from the Calvinist notion of unconditional election.