free will:

in the Christian sense the ability to choose between good or evil.  This doctrine, among Catholics, is linked to Thomism (from Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica).  Free will is associated with the concepts of responsibility, praise, guilt, sin & other judgements which apply only to actions that are freely chosen. Traditionally, only actions that are freely willed are seen as deserving credit or blame.  

 

subserves:

(sub serves) to be useful or instrumental in promoting a purpose

 

fain:

archaic English, gladly; willingly

 

Grace:

a theological term defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation;

 

Innocent III:

(1161-1216) powerful & influential pope (1198-1216) exerted wide influence over the Christian states of Europe, claimed supremacy over all of Europe's kings. Notable for using interdict & other censures to compel princes.  Central in supporting Church's reforms through decretals and the Fourth Lateran Council, resulting in considerable refinement of Western canon law.  One of his critical decisions was organizing the Fourth Crusade against Muslim Spain and the Holy Land, as well as the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France.

 

Luther:

see Introduction page 24

 

Loyola:

(aka Saint Ignatius of Loyola) (1491-1556) Spanish Basque priest & theologian, founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) & became its first Superior General.  They emerged as an important force during the time of the Counter-Reformation. Ignatius was a talented spiritual director. He recorded his method in the Spiritual Exercises, a simple set of meditations, prayers, and mental exercises (published in 1548).

 

Calvin:

(1509-1564) French theologian, pastor & reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation; principal figure in the development of Calvinism & its doctrines of predestination & of the absolute sovereignty of God; influenced by Augustinian. A tireless polemic & apologetic writer, generated much controversy; exchanged cordial and supportive letters with many reformers, including Melanchthon & Bullinger.  Most important work was Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536). 

 

Jansen:

(1585 – 1638) Dutch Catholic bishop of Ypres, father of Jansenism (a theological movement inside the Church).  In 1616 at the University of Leuven he became active in the university's resistance to the Jesuits.  He worked to show Catholics could interpret the Bible in a mystical & pietistic manner. His movement stressed  original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace & predestination; as such it has much in common with Calvanism.  it was oppsed to the Jesuits.

 

Rousseau:

see Introduction page 33

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Marx:

see Introduction page 45

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Predestination:

a doctrine in Calvinism dealing with the question of the control that God exercises over the world.  There are 2 aspects.  First dealing with events of the world, all of which are ordained by God regardless of whatcomes to pass.  Secondly predestination applied to personal salvation: God appoints the eternal destiny of some to salvation by grace (unconditional election), others receive eternal damnation for their sins (reprobation).  This is called double Predestination.  In Calvinism, people are predestined & effectually called in due time (born again) to faith, by God. 

 

Pascal:

see Introduction page 42

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Thomas Aquinas:

(1225-1274) Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest & Doctor of the Church; immensely influential theologian & philosopher of scholasticism; foremost classical proponent of natural theology & father of Thomism which argued reason is found in God. Unlike many in the 13th century Church he embraced ideas put forward by Aristotle & attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with Christianity. His best-known works are the Summa Theologiae (1261-63) and the Summa contra Gentiles (1265-73).

 

Augustinian dialectic:

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) taught God orders all things while preserving human freedom (predestination). Prior to 396 AD, he believed predestination  was based on God's foreknowledge of whether individuals would believe, and that God's grace was "a reward for human assent". Later, in response to Pelagius, he said that the sin of pride consists in assuming that "we are the ones who choose God or that God chooses us (in his foreknowledge) because of something worthy in us", and argued that God's grace causes individual acts of faith.  It is not clear whether Augustine's teaching implies double predestination, or the belief that God chooses some people for damnation as well as some for salvation. While Catholic scholars tend to deny this, Calvinist scholars have held that Augustine did believe in double predestination.

 

elucidation:

to make lucid or clear; throw light upon; explain; to clarify, to illuminate.