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Thomas Bradwardinedoes also view good works as necessary for the completion ofjustification and remission. 6Yet it should be noted that although Bradwardine thus allowsfor the merit ofcondignity, he does not view it as an accomplishmentofman. Forgiveness ofsins, which also implies remission ofpunishment, is not becauseofmerit, but outofgrace. 7 ~radwardinesays explicitly, "We must conclude with St. Augustine, then, thatour merits are God's gifts, and when he rewards them, He crownsthem not us."IIThe Sacrament of PenanceEven as Pelagius and his followers were difficult to pin down,so errors ofthe "Modern Pelagians" ofBradwardine's day had tobe ferreted out and refuted. Theircraftiness was especially evidentin connection with the doctrine ofpenance. Key to this is the notionof attrition. Medieval theologians used the term attrition to describea sorrow for sin that is not caused by love for God but fearofpunishment. Many theologians taught that attrition was the firststep of true penance, leading to contrition, confession, and satisfactionin the sacrament of penance.Interestingly, Bradwardine addresses those who despaired offorgiveness either because ofthe gravity or the multitude oftheirsins. Bradwardine emphasizes the possibility and reality of theforgiveness ofsins. His argument is that man's sins are finite, butthe mercy and grace of God are infinite. Thus he reassures thepenitent believer that the one who truly repents and confesses hissins may be (to a high degree) assured of forgiveness and his ownsalvation. 96. Oberman, Archbishop Bradlt'ardine. p. 182.7. Est ergo remissio ... poenae ex gratia, non ex merito de condigno.Bradwardine. Cause. Book I. Chap. 39, p. 341. quoted in Oberman.Archbishop Brad-ware/ine. p. 155.8. Causa, p. 324, quoted by Leff. Pelagians. p. 70. The Latin isgiven in the footnote: Cum, inquit Augustine. Deus coronafmerita nostranihil aliud coronat quam munera sua.9. Oberman, Archbishop Bradwardine, pp. 162-3, citingBradwardine, Cause, I. 1. 21.November, 200 I 17
Bradwardine faces the question ofthe relation between man'srepentance and God's grace. The Pelagians are ofthe opinion thatman first repents, thereby meriting grace and justification. Overagainst this, Bradwardine defends the position that God firstinfuses grace into the sinner, which brings the sinner to repentance.Bradwardine rejects the notion that attrition is true repentance.If it exists, it does not merit grace, but is a 44pre-effecf' ofgrace, most likely caused by the preaching. lo In addition, even truerepentance is not satisfaction or a condition by whichone obtainsforgiveness. If it were, God's forgiveness would not be merciful,but only an act of rigid justice. I IAt the same time, Bradwardine insists that God demands aperfect contrition. This over against the Pelagians, who thoughtthat even a tepid repentance merits remission ofguilt and punishment,both eternal and temporal. 11 Bradwardine also maintainsthat God brings about the repentance.Concerning the act of repentance, Bradwardine teaches thatthe whole act is God's work. It begins with an infusion ofGod'sgrace. Oberman explains, '"Where light comes, darkness disappears;infused graceextinguishes sin" immediately. D The result isa contrite heart. Next comes oral confession. However, Bradwardinedoes not hold that oral confession is essential for remission.Bradwardine views confession as simply naturally following fromthe grace of contrition. He illustrates this with the story of thehealing of the ten lepers. "One goes to the priest just as the ten10. Oberman, Archbishop Bradwardine, pp. 165, 174. citingBradwardine, Cause, I. 43. 380.II. Non est hoc opus misericordiae sed iustitiae et rigoris.Bradwardine, Cause. l. 1. 23, quoted in Oberman, ArchbishopBradwardine, p. 163.12. Bradwardine. Cause, I. 43. 380, quoted in Oberman, ArchbishopBradwardine. p. 165.13. Oberman,ArchbishopBradwardine,p.167,citingBradwardine,Cause, I. 43. 402.18 PRTJ
Page 1 and 2: ProtestantReformedTheologicalJourna
Page 3 and 4: EDITOR'S NOTESProf. Russell J. Dyks
Page 5 and 6: For there are many, even l unruly,
Page 7 and 8: happen to hold unwittingly to some
Page 9 and 10: tion oftheir false teachings. II Pe
Page 11 and 12: est, they are very weak, at worst,
Page 13 and 14: truth~' (see I Tim. 4: 1 - 4). Ever
Page 15 and 16: Thomas Bradwardine:Forgotten Mediev
Page 17: ated grace and uncreated grace. Unc
Page 21 and 22: the age, namely, that having set fo
Page 23 and 24: did not identify Thomas Bradwardine
Page 25 and 26: The first is that Bradwardine was a
Page 27 and 28: to Bradwardine as oneof"two pre-emi
Page 29 and 30: Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. Sir
Page 31 and 32: power of the papacy in Bradwardine'
Page 33 and 34: The Serious Callof the Gospel -Is t
Page 35 and 36: elieve th~s proclamation with uprig
Page 37 and 38: to bring good news with their "fig
Page 39 and 40: nation, we read of Melchisedek, the
Page 41 and 42: official activity ofa monarch's her
Page 43 and 44: 8): "Calling is ofthose elect and r
Page 45 and 46: ut all his posterity unable to obey
Page 47 and 48: alone, and He saves whom He will. E
Page 49 and 50: have moved away from the notion oft
Page 51 and 52: every member ofthe visible, institu
Page 53 and 54: fulfilling this calling is their pa
Page 55 and 56: contingent. Further, Calvin did not
Page 57 and 58: ofacceptance in terms of merit, ins
Page 59 and 60: covenant ofgrace and works, or it i
Page 61 and 62: Spiritual, Suffers Them to DefileTh
Page 63 and 64: the gospel is preached" (p. 212).In
Page 65 and 66: "They do not hold that JesusChrist
Page 67 and 68: II Corinthians 3:6 that "the letter
Page 69 and 70:
is to oppose and to repulsethat sec
Page 71 and 72:
Rightly Divided: Readings inBiblica
Page 73 and 74:
is necessary speaks volumesabout th
Page 75 and 76:
Guilt, Grace and Gratitude,Lectures
Page 77 and 78:
76ted under the new? If it wererigh
Page 79 and 80:
er to keep himself holy; forthe Sab
Page 81 and 82:
there is room for both positionsin
Page 83 and 84:
Dr. Gannett's eschatologyalso effec
Page 85 and 86:
that, but man has a corrupt nature(
Page 87 and 88:
the love of God is "universal"(p. 5
Page 89 and 90:
ever, throughout the book thereis n
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