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Evangelical Free Will: Philipp Melanchthon's Doctrinal Journey on the Origins of Faith. By GREGORY B. GRAYBILL.

2012; Oxford University Press; Volume: 63; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/jts/flr181

1477-4607

Charlotte Methuen,

Reformation and Early Modern Christianity

This book traces Philip Melanchthon's understanding of free will from the beginning of his academic career in Wittenberg in 1519 to his death in 1560. It represents a revised version of Gregory Graybill's D.Phil. thesis, completed under the supervision of Graham Tomlin and submitted in 2002. Graybill identifies two main phases in Melanchthon's thinking about free will. During the first phase, whose end Graybill dates to 1531, Melanchthon followed Luther in teaching that the human will is bound in all matters relating to salvation. Graybill argues, however, that towards the end of this period Melanchthon became increasingly uncomfortable with the implications of Luther's understanding of predestination as presented in opposition to Erasmus in De servo arbitrio. In the second phase, lasting from 1532 until his death, Melanchthon took a more complex position, distinct from Luther's, asserting some measure of freedom for the will in matters of salvation. Graybill argues that Melanchthon's position was and remained distinct from that of both Erasmus and the scholastic tradition. Melanchthon came to believe that free choice could be exercised in ‘the ability to apply oneself toward grace, that is, our free choice hears the promise, tries to assent to it and rejects the sins which are contrary to conscience’ (Loci communes 1543, cited [as ‘(1543)’] on p. 248). This position Graybill characterizes as ‘evangelical free will’.