Written in 426 AD, On Grace and Free Will by St. Augustine of Hippo is a theological treatise addressing the relationship between human free will and divine grace, written to counter misunderstandings and affirm their compatibility in Christian doctrine.
On Grace and Free Will explores how human free will and God’s grace coexist. Augustine argues that while humans have the freedom to choose, divine grace is essential for salvation, countering claims that grace negates free will or that free will diminishes grace.
Augustine wrote it in 426 AD to address monks in Hadrumetum who misinterpreted his teachings, some overemphasizing grace to deny free will, others stressing free will to downplay grace. He aimed to clarify their interdependence for a balanced Christian understanding.
Augustine composed this work in 426 AD, late in his life as Bishop of Hippo, amid ongoing debates about grace and human agency, building on earlier writings like Confessions and City of God.
The treatise is a single, concise work divided into chapters, systematically addressing free will’s existence, its limitations due to sin, and grace’s role in enabling good choices. Augustine uses Scripture and reason to build his case.
Augustine affirms that humans possess free will, the ability to choose between good and evil. However, he argues that sin has weakened it, making it prone to evil unless aided by grace.
Grace is God’s unmerited gift, freely given to empower humans to choose good and attain salvation. Augustine sees it as both prevenient (initiating the will) and cooperative (sustaining good actions).
Due to original sin, human will is corrupted and cannot consistently choose God without divine help. Grace restores and perfects free will, enabling it to align with God’s will.
He cites passages like Romans 7:19 (“I do not do the good I want”) to show the will’s weakness and John 15:5 (“Apart from me you can do nothing”) to emphasize grace’s necessity, grounding his argument in biblical authority.
Original sin, inherited from Adam, impairs free will, inclining humans toward selfishness and evil. Augustine argues this fallen state necessitates grace to overcome sin’s effects.
Though not named directly here, Augustine counters Pelagian ideas—that humans can achieve righteousness without grace—by insisting that free will alone is insufficient for salvation, a stance honed in earlier anti-Pelagian works.
Yes, but Augustine says it’s ineffective for good without grace. Free will can choose evil freely, but choosing God requires divine assistance due to sin’s corruption.
He argues that grace doesn’t destroy free will but perfects it. When God grants grace, the will freely chooses good, harmonizing human agency with divine initiative.
Before grace, the will is free but enslaved to sin, capable of choosing but naturally drawn to evil. Augustine likens it to a sick patient needing a physician—God’s grace—to heal.
Merit exists, but it’s a gift of grace, not a human achievement. Good works earn reward only because God first enables them, undermining any claim to self-earned salvation.
Prayer reflects dependence on grace, as humans must ask God to strengthen their will. Augustine sees it as evidence that free will seeks divine aid, not self-sufficiency.
While not the focus, he hints at predestination, suggesting grace is given to some, not all, by God’s mysterious will. This aligns with his broader theology but isn’t fully developed here.
It bridges Augustine’s anti-Pelagian writings and pastoral concerns, offering a practical yet profound synthesis of grace and free will, shaping Christian debates on human nature and salvation.
Human nature is free but fallen, capable of choice yet bound by sin’s legacy. Grace liberates it, restoring its potential to love and obey God, a core theme of his anthropology.
It tackles enduring questions about freedom, responsibility, and divine aid, influencing theology, philosophy, and ethics. Its balanced view resonates in modern discussions on autonomy versus dependence.
It reinforced Augustine’s legacy in Western Christianity, shaping doctrines of grace and original sin. It influenced medieval scholastics like Aquinas, cementing its role in theological history.