REVISITING THEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS OF

FREEDOM, GRACE AND SALVATION

13TH OF AUGUST, 2011 ARRUPE CONVENTION HALL ATENEO DE NAGA UNIVERSITY

by Marco Campos Guiriba

I. Objectives

at the end of the session we should be able to: 1. Reconsider our outright rejection of the sola gratia principle 2. Equip ourselves with proper attitude in relating to non-Catholics and non Christians (ecumenism) with regard to the sola gratia principle 3. Know the importance of good works and proper use of freedom

I. Overview

I. Introduction II. Problem III. Brief definition of freedom and grace IV. Review of significant theologians 4th century - Pelagius and Augustine 13th century Thomas Aquinas 16th century Martin Luther V. Situate their positions in a Pendulum VI. Catholic Balance, Synthesis & Summary

I. Introduction

Who said this? We are saved by grace alone (sola gratia).

M a rti n Lu th e r B ut not onl y hi m

I. Introductio n300 years before Luther,

T h o m a s A q u in a s i h i n s co m m e n ta ry o n th e l tte rs e o f Pa u lw ro te th e fo l o w i g : l n W e a re p re d e sti e d sola gratia , freed from n sin sola gratia , saved sola gratia . We are justified sola fide , adopted as sons of God sola fide , reputed righteous sola fide . Aquinas is never anathemized with these statements. Therefore, Martin Luthers sola gratia is not incompatible with Catholic theology

II. The Problem

There are two extreme positions on the need of freedom and grace in relation to salvation.

God is so gracious. In M a n is fre e . His graciousness, He B y h is willed to save man. He fre e d o m , h e saved humanity even if does good it did not ask for it. w o rk s . T h e se g o o d w o rk s Question : Who is really responsible for co u ld merit man s salvation? Is it man through the his salvation . use of his freedom or God out of his graciousness?

III. What is FREEDOM?

Commonly understood as Doing whatever I want This is problematic because man is always limited by his situation(context). Example: I want to buy. There is always something that I can not buy due to my limited purchasing power. That would mean I am not free.

Genuine freedom is

III. What is GRACE?

Something that is not deserved but is freely given. Example: the fathers forgiveness of his prodigal son. The son did not deserve to be forgiven. (Thats why the elder brother was jealous.) But he was forgiven. Examples in revelation: clothes for Adam and Eve, mark for Cain, rainbow for Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter etc. The most important grace is the salvation offered by Jesus through his Passion, Death & Resurrection.

III. Tension between freedom & grace

If freedom is the capacity to do good, what is the final end if man continuously and consistently does the good? Will he be saved by his good deeds? If yes, what is the need for grace? If no, what is the use of freedom?

IV. Pelagius and Augustine: 4th century,

P e la g iu s co u l n o t a g re e w i d th A u g u sti e th a t m a n i w h o l y n s l co n tro l e d b y g ra ce . l H e re a cte d to A u g u sti e s p ra ye r n w h i sa ys: (God) grant what you ch command and command what you will. He sees in this case a man who is a puppet wholly controlled by grace. Pelagius taught that man is capable of self determination through the use of God - given freedom .

IV. Pelagius and Augustine: 4th century

A u g u stin e s te a ch i g o n g ra ce n i j st a p o rti n o f h i b i g e r s u o s g te a ch i g o n commercium admirabile n (wonderful exchange) where he taught that God became man so that men may become gods or simply adopted sons of God. The initiative to save man is coming from God through his graciousness. If God did not become man, man will not be saved even if he diligently uses his freedom by doing good works.

IV. Pelagius and Augustine: 4th century

W e kn o w i C h u rch H i ry th a t Pelagius w a s n sto condemned while Augustine s position was adopted by the Church. Current theologians, under the light of what transpired in history, have a more balanced view. Probably, Pelagius is one of the most maligned persons in the history of Christian thought. Duffy: Was Pelagius Pelagian? Many later erroneous teachings will be labeled as Pelagian and his name became synonymous with heresy. A closer study of his works would reveal that he is a well-meaning Christian, an ascetic and a leader of one of the reform-minded groups in the late fourth century Rome. Against Augustinian pessimism, he preached an optimistic vindication of human freedom.

IV. Thomas Aquinas: 13th century

I h i S u m m a T h e o l g i e , Thomas n s o a Aquinas posed the question: By human nature (freedom) alone, can one do any good at all? His answer is yes. but, on the questions if by human nature (freedom) alone can one: avoid sin? fulfill the precepts of Gods law? prepare for the reception of grace? His answers are NO.

IV. From Thomas Aquinas to Martin Luther

S o m e i te rp re te rs o f A q u i a s w i lfo cu s o n n n l th e h u m a n n a tu re th a t ca n d o g o o d b y i l ( o u t o f fre e d o m ) tse f T h o m a s d e V i , m o re kn o w n a s C a rd in a l o C a je ta n , introduced the theory of Pure Nature . N a tu re ca n o n l a tta i i n a tu ra le n d . Pu re y n ts n a tu re ca n n o t a tta i a su p e rn a tu ra le n d . n ( Background 16 th century fallenman ) G a b rie l B ie l, the teacher of Martin Luther , ta u g h t th a t i a p e rso n d o e s h i b e st, h e ca n , f s w i o u t g ra ce , re m o ve w h a te ve r o b stru cts th e th i fu si n o f g ra ce a n d b e g i to m o ve to w a rd n o n G o d ( w i th e u se o f fre e d o m ). th

IV. From Thomas Aquinas to Martin Luther

B e ca u se th e C a th o l c C h u rch w a s re a cti g to i n th e R e fo rm e rs w h o e m p h a si d th e sola ze gratia principle, It will assert that the fallen man is not entirely deprived of goodness With this, the position of the Catholic Church will seem to move away from Augustine and closer to Pelagius. Remember Pelagius optimistic vindication of human freedom.

IV. Martin Luther: 16th century

Lu th e r s * TB a ckgmron anists( a . k . a . h e N o iu ld :

M o d e rn i ) stro n g l e m p h a si d sts y ze d i n e l b e rty w h i vi i ch l a d to th e e n o ti n o f a J st G o d w h o o u re w a rd / p u n i e s a cco rd i g to h i sh n s * eGra berie lB ie l - w ith o u t g ra ce , h d e d s. re m o ve w h a te ve r o b stru cts th e i fu si n o f g ra ce a n d b e g i to n o n m o ve to w a rd G o d ( u se o f fre e d o m ) * Medieval Piety - salvation is e a rn e d b y g o o d w o rks, i d u l e n ce s ( u se o f fre e d o m ) n g

IV. Martin Luther: 16th century

The effect on Luther

D u e to h i o w n exp e ri n ce o f s e si fu l e ss a n d th e co n text o f h i n n s ti e , Lu th e r h a d a te rri e d m fi co n sci n ce a n d m o rta lfe a r o f e d a m n a ti n .onthe sameletter,the o Reflecting ( Pauls with he experience of Augustine) abandoned his original belief and believed that we cannot be saved by our own works. It is God alone who saves us. No amount of our good works will save us . We are saved by grace alone ( sola gratia ).

IV. Review
P e la g iu s - man is capable of self d e te rm i a ti n th ro u g h th e u se o f n o G o d -g i n fre e d o m ( 4 th century ) ve A u g u stin e - initiative save to m a n i co m i g fro m G o d ( 4 th s n ce n tu ry ) T h o m a s A q u in a s by his n a tu re a l n e , m a n ca n d o g o o d o (13 th century ) M a rtin L u th e r - God alone sa ve s u s
t h

V. The Pendulum
B y our w o rk s
Pe l agi u s
Thom A qu as i as n

W e a re sa ve d

B y G od s g ra ce

u sti A ug ne

tin r ar e M th Lu

T h e ke y i to a vo i th e extre m e a n d m a i ta i s d n n

VI. The Catholic Balance

1. Man, by his nature alone, can do good (Aquinas) example: philantrophist non-belivers 2. But man alone, with his human nature, can not save himself. (Augustine & Luther) Before sanctification, man, with the use of his freedom, can not attain salvation. Only with the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ that man could hope for salvation. 3. After Sanctification (baptism), the

VI. The Basis of the Balance

Salvation History (Sacred Scripture) reveals to us that if man is left alone by itself, he falls into sin over and over again. Example: in Primeval History (Gen 1 11) we find the following: Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Cain murdered Abel. Noahs contemporaries became wicked. The people of Shinar planned to build a tower that reaches heaven. Man always falls into sin.

VI. Synthesis

Catholic theology does not teach that our good works save us. Man without the grace of Christ is doomed to fall into sin over and over again. We can not save ourselves. Only Jesus Christ saves us. Does it mean that we have to be passive and do nothing? Is our freedom useless? NO. After sanctification (which happens on baptism) we could either retain or lose the Sanctifying Grace by our good or bad deeds. In this regard, the use of freedom is crucial. Grace and freedom are both at work in man Works done after sanctification become meritorious only on account of the grace

VI. Summary

Before sanctification, man, with the use of his freedom, can not attain salvation. With the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, man could now hope for salvation. After Sanctification (baptism), the works of man out of his freedom matters. These works could either lose or retain the Sanctifying Grace.

Thank You!

Marco Campos Guiriba