Free will and Fatalism - Christianity

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

To what extent are we able to influence our own destiny?

Judaeo-Christian trradition states humans are considered to be autonomous (freedom to govern itself) and morally responsible. The Fall of Man suggests that humans have a responsosbility for caring for the world, but their free will is restricted as Adam and Eve are forbidden to eat from the forbidden tree. However they must have free will if they were punished for their disobediance.

God created humans and commanded them to obey the moral law, the result being a reward or a punishment for their actions. Unless people are really free they canot be justly helf responsible for their actions.

Augustine of Hippo addressed this issue, clearly teaching the importance of both free will and the necessity of grace. Humans were created with the will and freedom to act, they have an option whether to act morally or not. His teaching were improtant as it formed the basis of all Christian teaching on free will and has been interprested in various ways.

St Thomas Aquinas - 'man chooses not of necessity but freely'

God allowed humans to be free and make decisions for themselves. We are special by virtue through this goft God has given us and we should use this gift to reflect the love of God to others around us. Freedom is overcoming, sin, death and darkness through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

PREDESTINATION - a relgious perspective on determinism (deny human free will). 

The more God's omniscience (all knowing) and omnipotence (all powerful) is stressed, the…