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The Free Will Defence

The Free Will Defence. Augustine and Irenaeus. Augustine. Augustine argues that it was free will that led to the original sin of Adam and Eve

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The Free Will Defence

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  1. The Free Will Defence Augustine and Irenaeus

  2. Augustine • Augustine argues that it was free will that led to the original sin of Adam and Eve • This resulted in their subsequent expulsion from paradise by God and the introduction of pain and suffering into their lives and the lives of their descendents • So Augustine maintains that although God created a perfect world, evil was introduced by the choices humans made, and thus it is the responsibility of humans not of God

  3. Irenaeus • Irenaeus thought free will is necessary if we are to improve ourselves and the world, and to work towards spiritual maturity and noble actions • So evil is an unfortunate side effect of God granting us free will. But it is a price worth paying if there is also the possibility that human free will can lead to salvation and redemption

  4. So... • Both the Augustinian and Irenaean ‘free will defences’ view moral evil as stemming from the free choices of humans • They also both view free will as a positive quality that is a gift from God to humans

  5. Discussion • Do Irenaeus’ and Augustine’s Free Will Defences answer the problem of evil?

  6. Summary • Peter Vardy offers a summary of the free will defence: • The highest good for humans is a loving relationship with God • Love must be freely chosen • So God, who is all powerful and loving, gave humans free will (in order to achieve 1) • Genuine free will means that humans will sometimes choose good, and sometimes evil • Therefore evil exists in order that humans may choose a loving relationship with God

  7. Hick and Swinburne • Hick and Swinburne both point out that God does wish not to create a cosy ‘toy world’ for his human ‘pets’ to live in • So it’s a mistake to look at the world and wonder why it isn’t more pleasant for humans • A much greater good than pleasure is the relationship humans can have with God, and this can only be a genuine relationship if we have free will

  8. What Do You Think? • What positives are there for the free will defence? • What criticisms can you think of for the free will defence?

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