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Friday 25 July 2014

Predestination Part Seven

I am not sure how to break down for readers the awesome truths in Garrigou-Lagrange's book on predestination. I am only up to St. Anselm and others in the Middle Ages, partly because I am reading three books at once, as usual.

I think I want to highlight a few key points, some of which are repetition.

1) God does not cause evil or badness in people.

2) We cannot understand, unless given infused knowledge in contemplation, the choice of God and the love of God regarding His people.

3) We cannot judge God.

4) Predestination is not only for the giving of grace, but for the glory of heaven, the glory of God for all eternity.

5) God wills to make salvation possible to all people but He knows who refuses salvation.

6) God's graces are sheet gift.

7) As Garrigou-Lagrange notes, "For St. Augustine, predestination presupposes a decisive and definite will on God's part to sanctify and save freely all the elect."

8) The position of St. Augustine and his followers was used by many councils to disseminate Church teaching.

9) God leaves the will as master of itself.

to be continued....