FREEDOM AND PROVIDENCE IN ORIGEN’S THEOLOGY
Abstract
The aim of this article is to investigate Origen’s understanding of grace and free will, or freedom and predestination in a broader perspective. Grace and free will are not opposites in Origen. His theology is a logos-centred theology where reason serves as the basis for free choice. Human freedom and divine grace have the same goal. Humanity’s free will is a person’s freedom to choose according to reason in the context of concrete historical situation, while divine grace is Logos’ guidance and persuasion of each individual to act toward future perfection. However, God does not determine the possible human actions, but He has foreknowledge of them. The foreknowledge should not be understood as predestination, because God has not determined how humans will act in a concrete historical situation, but He has predetermined salvation for everybody at the end of history.
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