Willing to Believe: Augustine

There are a few major points I would like to make on this chapter:

1) The Catholic church for centuries embraced Augustine's theology -- yet Augustinianism was like Calvinism in EVERY point but one, how regeneration was accomplished. By making regeneration = infant baptism (p.76), all other issues between Catholicism and Reform were moot. "Works" to Catholics were merely the carrying out of their faith (sanctification) as the same are to the Reformers. All the baptized/regenerated were going to heaven eventually.

2) As regarding Augustinianism vs. Calvinism -- can anyone say "plagerism?!" Warfield says "This doctrine of grace came from Augustine'e handsin its positive outline completely formulated:..." (quoting Sproul with his italics next) --

"sinful man depends ... entirely on the free grace of God ... free because it is neither merited or earned."

"It is indispensable because it is a necessary condition for recovery."

"It is prevenient because it must come before the sinner can recover."

"It is irresistible because it is effectual, accomplishing God's purpose..."

"It is indefectible because ... [it] is perfect, infallible, and unflawed."

Of course, these 5 points are just the beginning of what is a complete reproduction of Augustine's theology by Calvinism.

3) Augustine may have been the first known churchman to use the technique of "redefining terms." One such instance causes huge confusion in the church to this day -- his definitions of "free will" and "liberty." "[F]ree will [is] the ability to make voluntary decisions free from external constraint and coercion. It is self activity. ... This freedom is necessary condition or prerequisite for moral behavior of any kind."

The sinner has "free will" but not "liberty" - no "moral ability." Externally free but internally bound or "dead." "Can a man be restored from his fallen condition by free determination of his own will? 'God forbid.' Once a man has committed suicide, he is powerless to restore himself to life." ~Augustine Oh, puleease!

Augustine denies the objection that "God saves people who are unwilling to be saved or that grace operates against their wills, forcing them to choose... The grace of God operates on the heart in such a way as to make the formerly unwilling sinner willing." Of course, barring any insight or experience in which a sinner did anything more than "change his own mind" and "liberate" himself, we must believe Augustine rather than the scriptures on this.

skypair

 

Sproul spends several pages illucidating Schaff's outline of Augustines 8 things that happened as a result of Adam's fall. His summary to that was that man now is born "in a mass of sin."

If you think that would be worth considering, by all means just ask.

skypair

 

I think you are absolutely right on this point.

One observation I make of this is that these early leaders were constantly putting out fires and establishing "firebreaks" that contained the fire but that also destroyed some of the territory they were meant to protect.

For instance, it was totally unnecessary to make man "totally unable" to respond to God just because Pelagius said that man could do anything that God commanded, even live a perfect life.

skypair

 

Bob,

Tomorrow I will post the next chapter -- Semi-Pelagian. I think this is where "I am."

To me, early Christianity was like the "wild mouse" ride at the midway of your county fair. Remember that? My wife couldn't drive all the way up Hale'akala (10000' volcano in Maui) because it was too much like a "wild mouse" -- can't see where the next turn is going!

You know -- it really made a big difference to have a "mass-circulation" Bible to test all these "theories"/theologies by.

skypair