Category: Free WIll & Determinism
Assurance of Salvation
Recently I had an enlightening conversation with EDD (an exhaustive divine determinist). Calvinists who affirm exhaustive divine determinism believe that God causally determines all things all the time (unless they are discussing 1 Timothy 2:4, these Calvinists do affirm that “all” means “all”). This means that everything about a human — every thought, belief, action, … Continue reading Assurance of Salvation
Defining Libertarian Freedom
Question Hey Dr. Stratton, A fellow libertarian has taken issue with your definition of libertarian freedom. Although you offer multiple definitions in your book and other writings, you often describe libertarian freedom in the following manner: “the ability to choose among a range of alternative options, each of which is compatible with one’s nature at … Continue reading Defining Libertarian Freedom
Droids in Heaven?
Question: Hey Dr. Stratton, In a FB group, Tyler Vela (a well-known internet Calvinist) posted the following question: “Libertarians – will we be robots in the eternal state since we will not be able to sin? (Note: if you make a nature or “we won’t want to” argument then you’re just making the same nature/ultimate … Continue reading Droids in Heaven?
Book Review: Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism by Timothy Stratton
How does God’s knowledge relate to the created world? And if God knows the future, what does that mean for human freedom? In Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism Tim Stratton seeks to shed light on these questions by engaging with the apparent conflict between human freedom and divine knowledge. The bulk of the book is … Continue reading Book Review: Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism by Timothy Stratton
The Location of Determinism
Question: Dr. Tim, The location of determinism, if external, could be seen as warrant to the conclusion that we are “meat puppets”. But why must we accept that determinism is solely through external “forces” beyond our control? First, this assumes control *must* be regulative. But more importantly, why can the location of determinism not be … Continue reading The Location of Determinism
Bignon’s Review of Mere Molinism: A Rejoinder
My recently published book, Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism, has, for the most part, received positive reviews. But I had anticipated a negative response from one particular philosopher, Guillaume Bignon, a Calvinist, whom I critiqued in the book. Bignon provided a 50-page “extremely negative assessment” criticizing almost everything in the book — from my … Continue reading Bignon’s Review of Mere Molinism: A Rejoinder
Reaching Reliable Beliefs
Question: Dr. Stratton, in your book you point out that if our thoughts and beliefs are causally determined by physics and chemistry, then they are not reliable. I agree since physics and chemistry are not intentionally aimed at true beliefs. However, related to that, you also say that even if God casually determines all of … Continue reading Reaching Reliable Beliefs
The FreeThinking Theist VS a Free Will Skeptic
I recently made a video for the FreeThinking Ministries YouTube channel entitled Divine Determinism and the GOD OF MISCHIEF. In this video I point out that if naturalistic determinism is true, then all human thoughts and beliefs are causally determined by the forces of nature, the initial conditions of the big bang, past events, perhaps … Continue reading The FreeThinking Theist VS a Free Will Skeptic
Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism
Foreword Dr. Tim Stratton has the rare and precious gift of taking highly complex issues in philosophical theology and making them easily understandable to laypeople at the same time as he shows their tremendous importance for scholars in the disciplines of philosophy and religion. This book will be profitably and enjoyably read by laypeople and … Continue reading Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism
Evidence in the Flesh for Apologetics
I was raised in a family and a community where religious beliefs were considered personal and virtually never discussed. I attended a Catholic grade school and continued with religion classes through high school. I was a good student and knew what I was supposed to believe – but no matter how hard I tried, I … Continue reading Evidence in the Flesh for Apologetics