1 Religion and Libertarianism

Question 1

Where did the idea of predestination originate from?

Answer 1

St Paul’s letter to the Romans

Question 2

What is the traditional Judeo-Christian view on free will?

Answer 2

That humans are free autonomous agents responsible for their actions.

Question 3

What is an example of free will found in Genesis?

Answer 3

Adam and Eve exercise free will by deciding to eat the fruit, and God punishes them because they are held responsible for their actions.

Question 4

Where is this found in the Bible: ‘those he predestined, he also called, those he called, he also justified, those he justified, he also glorified’

Answer 4

Romans 8:30

Question 5

Who said: ‘the potter has authority over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honour and another for contempt.’

Answer 5

Augustine’s writing on Divine Election, suggesting predestination.

Question 6

Who said: ‘he does not create everyone in the same condition, but ordains eternal life for some and eternal damnation for others’

Answer 6

John Calvin

Question 7

Aquinas believes that since the fall of man, man was stained by original sin. What does this suggest about free will.

Answer 7

Free moral actions are not impaired, but suggests a weakening of the moral fabric of humanity that can only be repaired by God.

Question 8

What is karma’s effect on free will for Hinduism/Buddhism/Sikhism?

Answer 8

Human actions cause effects that are felt in the next life: karma isn’t a punishment/reward but a consequence. It means a person who wants to do good cannot do good, so freedom is limited.

Question 9

“Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Where us this found in the Bible

Answer 9

Romans 7:21 Paul speaks about his sinful nature and that he can’t do good without God’s guidance/forgiveness - no freedom to do good without it.

Question 10

Why does the Buddha reject (hard) deterministic theories on pragmatic grounds?

Answer 10

They support inaction - people become apathetic towards situations because they think they have no effect on what would have happened anyway.

Question 11

Why does the idea of free will not fit with Buddhism?

Answer 11

In Buddhism there is no ‘self’ (anattà) and no ‘me’ to have free will (it is an illusion), which is supported by science that there is no ‘autonomous agency centre’ in the brain

Question 12

An example of freedom through restraint in Buddhism

Answer 12

The Buddha starving/restricting himself to achieve enlightenment and nirvana allows you to be free from self and free from the chains of life eg. desires, attachments, hostility.

Question 13

“We are the clay and you are the potter”

Answer 13

Isaiah 64:8

Question 14

“For he chose us in advance and he makes everything work out according to his plan”

Answer 14

Ephesians 1:11

Question 15

“Every day of my life was recorded in your book

Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

Answer 15

Psalm 139:16

Question 16

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves”

Answer 16

Luke 9:23 you must submit your own will to follow Jesus (also suggests you have a will to submit)

Question 17

“Everyone who has left houses or family or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life”

Answer 17

Matthew 19:29 benefits of restricting will.

Question 18

What does Arminius argue about humans having free will?

Answer 18

That they have free will to choose between good and evil and the human response determines salvation. Salvation is provided for everyone but only available for those who freely choose it and freely choose to have faith. All sinners (everyone) has free will and their destiny depends on how they use it.

Question 19

How does Aquinas use an example of a hill to show how God’s omniscience does not negate free will?

Answer 19

God is at the top of the hill and can see what path you are on, where you have came from and where you are heading.

Question 20

What does Augustine say about original sin?

Answer 20

People are born in the condition of being born with a built in urge to disobey God.

Question 21

How does free will explain bad things?

Answer 21

It is caused by human free will and is incompatible with an omniscient, omnibenevolent and omnipotent God.

Question 22

What does Zagzebski believe about free will?

Answer 22

That God knows what any possible free creature could choose in any situation and knows the entire future including all free human acts.

Question 23

Who believe an omniscient God is incompatible with free will?

Answer 23

Anselm, Descartes

Question 24

Who thinks if God has a foreknowledge of the future then the events that will happen are necessary events?

Answer 24

Jonathan Edwards and Mavrodes

Question 25

What does Maimonides believe about free will and moral responsibility?

Answer 25

In Genesis 1:27 “God created mankind in his own image” meaning humans can distinguish between right and wrong and have ability to act morally, setting them apart from rest of creation.

Question 26

Who does Calvin think Jesus died for?

Answer 26

Only the elect, you can’t change your destiny.

Question 27

Who said “if all our thoughts and actions are divinely predestined however free and morally responsible we seem to be, we are not in the sight of God but are his helpless puppets”

Answer 27

John Hick

Question 28

What do people think about bad human actions if there is no free will?

Answer 28

That God is an immoral God who caused these actions.