Religious Determinism

Libertarianism Religiouslibertarianism: Arminianism

Soft determinism

Hard determinism

Religiousdeterminism: Calvin

What is it? There is no limit to human free will and we

Strengths

Weaknesses

LO: to evaluate the different theories of religious determinism2. to summarise the views of key philosophers relating to free will and determinism

Starter: Complete the table to re-cap what we have learnt so far.

Try to AT LEAST complete the first 4 columns.

So far…

Libertarianism Religious libertarianism: Arminianism

What is it? There is no limit to human free will and we are responsible for our

own actions.

God’s ability to intervene in the world is subordinate to us having free will.We are free to make our own choices.

Strengths It is an attractive idea – the right to freedom is a basic human right

We are not God’s puppets. We can choose how to live our lives, including whether to follow God – having a free choice is essential to beliefs about salvation.An individual has a responsibility to act in a good way.

Weaknesses 1. Are we really free moral agents? The influence of nature and nurture

2. Absolute free will does not create moral responsibility

If God is omniscient, then do we really have freewill?

Hard determinism Religious determinism: Calvin

What is it? We are not free to make our own decisions. Other factors (Psychological, DNA, sociological) influence and control. We are therefore not responsible for our actions.

Calvin was a Protestant reformer. He taught predestination – that God has predestined the few (the elect) to follow him. As he is omnipotent, he has decided (chosen) in advance who he will save to go to heaven. The rest will go to hell.

Strengths Psychological and sociological evidence can be compelling.

It gets around the problem ofGod’s omnipotence. The Roman Catholic church was corrupt at the time, and had too much power – giving the power back to God got round this problem.

Weaknesses How could society work when humans do not have to take any responsibility for their actions?

If God has already pre-determined whether we will be saved or damned, does this mean that it’s irrelevant whether we live a moral life or not?

LO: 1. to evaluate the theory of predestination 2. to summarise the views of key philosophers relating to free will and determinism

Calvinism

1. Compare your summaries of the Calvin article.

2. Evaluate the strength of his argument.

‘he does not adopt all promiscuously to the hope of salvation, but gives to some what he denies to others.’

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

People need the help of God’s grace to do good

This is a free gift from God regardless of individual merit

God alone determined who will receive the grace that assures salvation.

The potter has authority over the clay from the same lump to make

one vessel for honour and another for contempt

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

Protestant reformer mid 16th century.

Man is a complete sinner who is incapable of coming to God and has a sinful freewill that is only capable of rejecting God.

God is in control and we can’t do anything to achieve salvation.

Calvin’s reading of the Scriptures influenced his ideas about predestination

The faithful, who loved and obeyed

God were few. Many were faithless

and fickle people.

‘For many are called, but few are

chosen’. (Matthew 22:14)

People are not created with a similar destiny:

Predestination is the

eternal decree of God, by

which he determined that

he wished to make of every

man. For he does not

create everyone in the

same condition, but

ordains eternal life for

some and eternal

damnation for others

LO: to summarise the views of key philosophers relating to free will and determinism

You will each be given a key thinker.

You must design a 1 page worksheet and prepare a short presentation (5 mins max.) containing the following information:

• A brief biography• Their ethical perspective• Summary of ideas• Image(s)• Evaluation of theory

Use the resources available and your own research.

Immanuel Kant

Clarence Darrow

Ted Honderich

John Locke

David Hume

Answer the following questions:

Q. Do we, as Einstein said, ‘dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper’? Why?

Q. If God has already predetermined whether we will be saved or damned, does this mean that it is irrelevant whether we live a moral life or not? Why?

LO: 1. to evaluate the theory of predestination 2. to summarise the views of key philosophers relating to free will and determinism

Hard determinism Religious determinism: Calvin

What is it? We are not free to make our own decisions. Other factors (Psychological, DNA, sociological) influence and control. We are therefore not responsible for our actions.

Calvin was a Protestant reformer. He taught predestination – that God has predestined the few (the elect) to follow him. As he is omnipotent, he has decided (chosen) in advance who he will save to go to heaven. The rest will go to hell.

Strengths Psychological and sociological evidence can be compelling.

It gets around the problem ofGod’s omnipotence. The Roman Catholic church was corrupt at the time, and had too much power – giving the power back to God got round this problem.

Weaknesses How could society work when humans do not have to take any responsibility for their actions?

If God has already pre-determined whether we will be saved or damned, does this mean that it’s irrelevant whether we live a moral life or not?