what did Augustine say about freewill and determinism?

Answer 1

Augustine of Hippo (b. 354) introduced to Christianity the idea of monergism - the belief that human agency is entirely passive and God's agency is all-determining, yet without destroying human freedom. Part of this is known as predestination as per John Calvin, 16th century.

Augustine placed great emphasis on the grace and power of God in salvation. Based on his own conversion experience, he felt he could not really resist God's 'call' and that God chose him. He reflected that he was helpless to do any good: "My whole hope is in Thy exceeding great mercy and that alone. Give what Thou commandest and command what Thou wilt. Thou commandest continence from us, and when I knew, as it is said, that no one could be continent unless God gave it to him, even this was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was." He also said, "God gives us what he commands us to have."

When the British monk Pelagius arrived in Rome sometime around 405, he noticed how many Christians were immoral, many others not even concerned about national indifference to moral purity and obedience in the church. When Pelagius enquired and read Augustine's prayer [above] he was horrified, believing the cause of the problem must be that Christians were not even trying to abstain from immorality because it was God's prerogative to gave them that ability. Out of Pelagius's misunderstanding arose the huge controversy about original sin, free will, and grace, that has continued for centuries, even till this day.

Properly understood, Augustine said that the human will is so in bondage to sin, so corrupted by it, that it is unable to even desire to choose the right, the good - i.e. God's perfect will. Only God can set the will free to desire what is right and this God does. Thereafter, individuals freely choose Christ and are saved, by grace alone. Grace can be described as God coming down to move people to places of well-being. Augustine's teaching is all about the incredible grace of God to sinners who don't deserve any favours at all.

Answer 2

u have asked an interesting q and 1 that i would not have expected on YA. Augustine of Hippo wrote much on Liberty and freewill and the difference between the 2. He also wrote much on Divine Predestination in his great works The Confessions. On the q of freewill he admits an avowel of ignorance, on the question of divine predestination he sees no merit in it.

Answer 3

Free will is our choice to obey Jesus or deny his word.
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/believing.htm