Free Will, Moral Responsibility, and Reformed Theology - Analytic ...

20
Paul L. Manata © 2011
correct to point out that this is largely a matter of the logical implication.
After Edwards, though there is still a working out going on, we definitely see a
more self-­‐conscious turn in the writings of Reformed theologians as it pertains to
the metaphysical doctrines Reformed theology is committed to. As knowledge
increased in these matters and the logical implications of Reformed theology
became clearer, we begin to find many positive references to ‘determinism’ by
Reformed theologians. This is not to endorse Edwards’s views, but criticisms of
him in this matter have been, I think, unfair. Edwards was not so much departing
from the Reformed course as he was forging ahead into uncharted territories.
Thus, I think it is helpful to distinguish between the broad metaphysical issues
Reformed theology entails, and the various models of how to understand the
biblical and confessional data. The former is a set of commitments (to be
discussed below) essential to Reformed theology, the latter is more like the
project of natural theology or natural law. We use reason, the facts of the world,
logic, and other conceptual tools to help make clear and consistent, or to
explicate, the broad theological and confessional baseline.
3.2 Reformed theology as a kind of determinism
In what follows, I will seek to show that Reformed theology is a species of
determinism. Specifically, I will point out that this is shown by the doctrines of
the decree, providence, and omniscience, i.e., RT. In this paper, I am using
‘Reformed’ in a very broad sense to include any who affirm the statements of
these doctrines as found in the Reformed confessions. I will cite from the
Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) to make this case. From WCF, chapter
27 For example, see the assessment of Colleen McClusky, in Medieval Theories of Free
Will, section 1 (IEP), http://www.iep.utm.edu/freewi-­‐m/>: last accessed 7/11/11,
though I disagree with her claim that all the Medievals were libertarian.