A* in Religious Studies with a very high mark in Ethics. Eduqas board.
These are my notes (my babies) and they helped me all the way!
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR EXAMS! x
NO - Holy texts suggest that humanity has free will:
Ethics A2 • Judeo-Christian Bible - “But if serving the Lord Beatrice Richmond
seems undesirable to you, then choose for
YES - Holy texts suggest that believers should accept yourselves this day whom you will
predestination. serve…” (Joshua 24:15)
• Judeo-Christian Bible - “A person’s days are • Bible, New Testament - “So if the Son sets you
determined, you have decreed the number of his free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
months and have set limits he cannot exceed” (Job 14:5)
• Bible, New Testament - St Paul states “For those God NO - What about omnibenevolence?
foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
image of his Son… And those he predestined, he also • Free will supports this attribute of God (not predestination)
- Free will - all moral agents can achieve salvation by following God’s eternal moral
called; those he called, he also justified; those justified,
laws.
he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)
• Predestination - God only predestines some moral agents (heaven). The rest are reprobates
(hell).
YES - Consider theological consequences of • Bertrand Russell - if God only rewards certain moral agents, he must be “a monster”
predestination (God’s attributes): because “A God that punishes or rewards on the basis of God’s own eternal decisions is
• Monotheistic religions attribute omnipotence unfair and immoral”.
to their deity. Pelagius - when Adam and Eve eat the
• Predestination supports God’s omnipotence forbidden fruit to create ‘original sin’, if
- Augustine’s theory - stated that Pelagius’ Should religious believers accept God was omnibenevolent, he would not
free will theology diminished God’s punish all of Humanity.
omnipotence (allowing moral agent to predestination? • He stated “we may not seem to be
decide freely and having the ability to tell forced to do evil through a fault in our
God whether to give them salvation). nature” - the fall remained Adam and
- Supported by Johnathon Edwards - free Eve’s sin.
will is incompatible with individual NO - Theological arguments supporting free will: - Supported by Arminius supporters
dependance on God. (1) Pelagius at ‘Synod of Dort’ in ‘Five Articles
• Salvation becomes dependent on the • Mormonism - Sterling McMurrin - “The of Remonstrance’- salvation is
moral agent. theology of Mormonism is completely conditioned by the faith of the
Pelagian” individual.
- In the Book of Mormon, it states
“because they are redeemed from the
YES - There is theological support for predestination:
fall they have become free forever,
(1) Augustine’s Doctrine of Original Sin
knowing good and evil; to act for Free will enhances omnibenevolence - God
• The Council of Carthage (418CE) assembled by the themselves and not to be acted upon”
Catholic Church. They approved of Augustine’s theory allows moral agents to make their own
(2) Arminius choices.
(denounced contrary view - Pelagius)
• Methodist Church - doctrine on salvation is • A young person playing with their
(2) Calvin’s ‘Doctrine of Election’
based on Arminian principles. teddy - teddy cannot choose not to be
• The Synod of Dort (1619) was an international meeting - John Wesley - a person is free not only
by Dutch reformed Church - settle controversy between played with.
to accept salvation , but also reject it. • Arminius’ free will theory - states that
predestination and Arminianism.
The Holy Spirit guides a Christian to
- They rejected Arminianism and accepted the five salvation.
“man is not an automation in the hands
articles by Calvin (TULIP) of God”
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