The Will in Its Theological Relations

The Will in Its Theological Relations addresses human freedom and Gods decrees within a nineteenth-century debate over full-blown determinism. More specifically, John L. Girardeau challenges Jonathan Edwardss doctrine of the will and its tendency to identify certain foreknowledge with causal necessity. While appreciative of Edwards as a brilliant thinker and spiritual giant, Girardeau respectfully exposes Edwardss theory of necessity as an injurious incursion into Reformed theology. Here is one of the clearest and fullest cases against Edwardsian determinism. It is also an articulate restatement of the orthodox Reformed perspective on human bondage to sin against Arminian theology.

Contents

Part 1The Will in Mans Innocent and Fallen, Unregenerate Estates

Part 2The Will in Mans Regenerate and Glorified Estates

Endorsements

John Girardeaus The Will in Its Theological Relations is a unique opportunity to listen to an ongoing conversation about one of theologys more challenging questionsthe relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The republication of Girardeaus insightful work affords students of Scripture the privilege of learning more about how God foreordains whatsoever comes to pass and yet does not offer violence to the will of creatures. An additional benefit is Richard Mullers outstanding introduction that expertly situates Girardeaus work within its immediate nineteenth-century setting and wider context within the Reformed tradition. With Muller as an able guide, readers can greatly profit from this work, one worthy of careful study and meditation.

J. V. Fesko, Harriett Barbour Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi

The Will in Its Theological Relations argues the case both for a Reformed doctrine of the decrees and for a Reformed doctrine of human freedom in the context of the nineteenth-century Presbyterian debate over a full-blown determinism, specifically over the suitability of Jonathan Edwardss doctrine of the will and its attendant identification of certain foreknowledge with causal necessity, as confirmed and spelled out in some detail by later Edwardsians, notably, Jonathan Edwards Jr. What distinguished Girardeau from earlier American critics of Edwards was his historical sensibilities and his advocacy of what he held to be the orthodox and confessional Reformed position. Girardeau argued a palpable contradiction between Edwards and Calvin as to the status quaestionis concerning the Will. His treatise, then, not only addresses what he took to be logical and psychological flaws in Edwardss work, it also argues its case on the basis of a careful and cogent examination of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Reformed theology, demonstrating the orthodox Reformed roots of his own approach over against that of Edwards. Arguably, Girardeaus view is a far better exposition of the orthodox doctrine than Edwardssgiven Girardeaus rootedness in the texts of Reformed orthodoxy and Edwardss failure to examine any of those texts in his Freedom of Will, including Mastrichts Theoretico-practica theologia, which he claimed to value so highly. However that question is decided, it is clear that Girardeau presents the clearest and fullest Reformed case against an Edwardsian determinism of anyone in the nineteenth century, even as he steers clear of Arminianism.

Richard A. Muller, from the foreword