Luther vs. Edwards

[Matthew Tringali]

The best I have found on this topic is Frame's Doctrine of the Knowledge of God. It is incredible.

 

[MW]

The best I have found on this topic is Frame's Doctrine of the Knowledge of God. It is incredible.

It is confusing. First, Which is primary? will or understanding? Secondly, "Knowing and doing are one," according to Prof. Frame; yet James 4:17 clearly distinguishes them. The "theology of application" fails to account for basic distinctions and dynamics in biblical psychology. Thirdly, he states, on the one hand, "we choose to pay attention to sensations or to ignore them." Good! On the other hand, "It could be argued that will is a function of an individual's strongest emotion: my choice is what I most feel like doing." Which is it? He hasn't identified "volition" as an exercise of will, and has failed to ground emotion in the will, according to his earlier assertion.

 

[moral necessity]

Would it be safe to say that Dabney would be grouped with Edwards, and not in line with what is "traditionally reformed"? For those wanting to read his lecture entitled Free Agency and the Will, see his Systematic Theology, p.120-132, or simply click here: Free Agency and the Will

Thanks and Blessings!

I would like to correct my post here. Having read Shedd, it sems to me that he speaks of Edwards as being in line with the classical reformed theology. Therefore Dabney appears to be as well. I'll cite the pages from his chapter on Free Will later, but I just wanted to make known my error before the thread closed. If I read him in error, I hope to be corrected.

Blessings!