John Calvin due to the several aspects of his approach to philosophy can be correctly identified as Augustinian. The teachings of the Catholic Church on free will and predestination are doctrines postulated by the Doctor of Church St. Augustine. Calvin also focused on these doctrines as the center of his teachings on free will and predestination. This paper presents arguments to substantiate the theory that Calvin is “Hyper Augustinian” so far it relates to the teachings on free will and predestination. Its arguments will include scripture references and some of the reflections of Augustine and Calvin.
John Calvin can be categorized as a “Hyper Augustinian” with regard to his teachings on free will and predestination. Some of the doctrinal teachings contributed by Augustine to the Church are absolute predestination where he propagated concepts like; the person does not have free will; God commands impossibilities; one cannot understand whether one is saved etc. “God has bestowed upon us. Hence we are ever dependent on him.” (Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 118). Calvin’s teachings on free will have been greatly influenced by the doctrines of Augustine. Augustine remarked that man has no free will, and stepping on this doctrine Calvin presented as if the man had no free will since he is predestinated. If the man is not free, he is determined and God must have predestination. Therefore, it can be stated that Calvin has a hyper dependency on the doctrines over the free will of Augustine. The arguments that are drawn to substantiate this statement are given below:
Human beings are predestinated. “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others for ordained to everlasting death.” (Wesley, 153). In Augustine’s, view salvation of the soul is not a gift to everyone and God chooses souls whom He loves. According to Calvin, some are chosen for salvation by the grace of God and some are damned to eternal punishment. Both Augustine’s and Calvin’s theories have the same perspective on the predestination of souls by God. Angels and some humans are chosen or predestinated by God before establishing a foundation in the world. They will be protected by God like a hen protecting chickens under its wings. References for the predestination from the scripture are used by both of them and a review of some principles has been done in order to substantiate the views that Augustine has been an influence on Calvin. “After Adam’s fall” (Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 118) the whole of humanity was cursed. God created Adam and Eve in His own image and commanded him not to eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 121). From the moment of violating this command, Adam and whole humanity were banished from paradise, became cursed and were thrown into a miserable condition. According to Paul, disobedience was the beginning of all evil while Augustine says that pride is the first evil in the history of humanity. “Augustine says that all have broken God’s covenant in that one in all who has sinned.” (McNeill, 123). The point is clear that the consequence of sin is the transmission of sin from Adam to all subsequent generations. Therefore, we can say that all of humankind is predestinated and their fate determined. St. Paul is of the view that “all are subject to corruption not of their own will (Roma 8:20)” (McNeill, 122). Paul speaks that even though we wish to do good things, we may end up doing bad, quite contrary to our will. God has chosen some persons and a group of people as His own. Calvinists speak that “God gives it to some only not others, because he has ‘absolutely, unconditionally predestinated’ them to life before the foundation of the world” (Wesley, 152). In the scripture, we see many people who were chosen for salvation by God’s will. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, prophets and disciples are among them. The chosen people were selected before the foundations of the world. God will not choose all human beings but only a selected few to receive the bliss of salvation. God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Augustine and Calvin are of the same view: God chooses some people for salvation and condemns some people for eternal punishment. It is “clear that our salvation comes about solely from God’s mere generosity.” (Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 134). Calvin tells that all persons are not born for the same purpose – some are for eternal life, others are for perpetual punishment. God chose and led a group of people called Israel with the call of Abraham. He appointed Moses as the pastor and leader of Israel not considering other humans. “He has not dealt thus with any other nations and has not shown them his judgments [Ps.147:20].” (McNeill, 142). From these perspectives, it could be stated that God has a special consideration or call for some individuals and groups and thereby God has predestinated a segment of humanity while god has passed over the rest.
Humankind does not have free will. “Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Calvin on free will, para.2). Therefore, Calvin thinks that humankind does not have free will. Mankind is not able to do good and righteous things of its own volition. Augustine is of the opinion that everything is dependent on the grace of God and it becomes valid when we negate the fact about the free will of humankind. Calvin’s theory borrows the idea from Augustine that God has foreknowledge of everything and some are saved and some are not. All souls are completely given to sin because of commitment of original sin and some are saved because of the unconditional grace of God. According to Augustine, “Whether a man is a guilty unbeliever or an innocent believer, he begets not innocent but guilty children for he begets them from a corrupted nature.” (Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion 126).
From these arguments, we can infer that grace is a gift of God for the chosen people, which the showers on them unconditionally, through the Holy Spirit. St. Paul also states that salvation is the grace of God, which is not showered according to the merit of the individual but as a gift of God. The desire for good things and even faith in God are also grace. “Every good and perfect gift, therefore, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, (James i. 17,).” (Disputation 11, para.14). According to the teachings of Augustine, “without grace men do nothing good when they either think or wish or love or act.” (Question 109: The Necessity of Grace, para. 4).
Augustine is of the opinion that humans cannot wish for good without grace. “No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. (John vi. 44.).” (Disputation 11, para.10). This shows that God has a plan for everyone in the world. The statement of Augustine is very clear that we cannot wish for a good thing without the grace of God and Calvin is also of the same opinion on unconditional grace of God without which we cannot wish anything good. Without the knowledge of God, no one can reach God; so each and every deed is known to God. God is the same forever and for Him yesterday, today and tomorrow are like the present moment. At the same time, there are criticisms against this doctrine. What the critics argue is that humankind has the intellect which is shared by God. Since mankind shares the intellect of God he can wish for good things as God wishes. So every individual is the master of his own actions; he is the master of wishes.
Humankind cannot avoid sin without grace. Augustine says that mankind “was able to sin and not to sin. Now, too, whatever a man will is given to him; but his willing good, he has by God’s assistance.” (Question 109: The Necessity of Grace, para. 10). It brings one fact into light that whenever humans think to do good things and avoid evil, it is the grace of God. From this fact we can understand that individual does not have freedom and everything is determined and predestinated. This is what exactly Calvin also argues. If one has the grace of God he will keep receiving it forever even if he does not have faith in God. Therefore, it transpires that God’s grace is unconditionally showered on the chosen people.
Augustine and Calvin are of the same view on free will and predestination. Both of these scholars argue for the predestination of God and they say that everything is the grace of God which is showered unconditionally on selected people. ‘Absolute predestination’ and ‘man does not have free will’ are the doctrines of Augustine who is the Doctor of the Catholic Church. These doctrines are the basis of the teachings and works of Calvin. The basic point in the absolute predestination doctrine of Augustine is that some people are saved by God, but on the other hand He condemns some for eternal damnation. Humankind is not able to understand the criteria used in this judgment. This is what exactly Calvin says going one more step beyond that – the selected people will be saved forever even if they are not believers. On the free will of humans, Augustine remarks that humanity does not have free will to do good and righteous things. Humanity does good only thanks to Gods’ grace. Calvin also has the same opinion with regard to this doctrine. Based on these facts and inferences, it can be concluded that Calvin could be called hyper Augustinian with regard to the cohesive nature of their doctrines and teachings regarding predestination and free will of individuals.
Also, there are similarities in the teachings like humanity cannot avoid sin without the grace of God, individuals cannot wish for the good without the grace of God. This doctrine is criticized in the philosophical platform. The literature says that humankind is created in the image of God. Therefore, we share elements of God that qualify us to participate in His work. Since God has the sovereign power to do good, we also share this ability in Him. So, this philosophical thought argues that we are the masters of our deeds and thoughts. Augustine’s and Calvin’s teachings on free will and predestination reflect similarities. The central ideas of Calvin are borrowed from the teachings of Augustine. A careful analysis of the arguments given above brings out the fact that Calvin is influenced by the teachings of Augustine and thus can argue that John Calvin is ‘Hyper Augustinian’.
Works Cited
Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion. Ed. John T. McNeill. Trans. Ford Lewis Battles. Philadelphia: The West Minister Press, 2009. Print.
Calvin on Free Will (From Institutes of the Christian Religion). Web. 2009.
“Disputation 11: On the Free Will of Man and Its Powers Respondent: Paul Leonards”. Works of James Arminius 1. Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Web. 2009.
Jackson, Wayne. John Calvin and Grace: Unconditional Grace. Christian Courier, 2001. Web. 2009.
McNeill, John T., ed. Calvin: Institutes of Christian Religions. The West Minister Press.
Question 109: The Necessity of Grace: Article 2: Whether Man Can Wish or Do Any Good Without Grace. New Advent, 2008. Web.
Question 109: The Necessity of Grace: Article 8: Whether Man Without Grace Can Avoid Sin: Reply to Objection 3. New Advent, 2008. Web.
Wesley, John. The Struggle with the Calvinists. Ed. Albert C Outler. Oxford University Press, 1964. Print.