Resolving The Free Will Dilemma

A Biblical Framework For Divine Sovereignty and Human Choice

De: Brett Henderson

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

"There is not and has never been tension between God's sovereignty and man's free will."

How can God's absolute sovereignty coexist with genuine human freedom? For millennia, this central free will dilemma has challenged Christian philosophy and theology. It forces rigorous thinkers to confront the tension between God’s foreknowledge/predestination and the human experience of making real choices. Must we compromise God’s power or human agency? Many discussions comparing Calvinism and Arminianism end here, suggesting an irresolvable paradox.

Resolving the Free Will Dilemma argues otherwise. Brett D. Henderson presents a groundbreaking framework designed to untangle this persistent knot. This pivotal contribution to Christian philosophy books identifies a subtle error: the "Many Beings Fallacy". The book delves into the ontology of divine and human nature, showing how intrinsic differences necessitate distinct "perceptual frames"—God’s being the eternal Absolute Metaphysical Frame, while humanity’s is finite and temporal.

Within these distinct frames, core concepts like "free will" and "sovereignty" carry different, frame-specific definitions. The book meticulously defines Absolute Free Will (God's inherent capacity for perfect righteousness) versus Finite Free Will (humanity's genuine but limited capacity for choice), and contrasts Absolute Sovereignty with Finite Sovereignty. By rigorously separating these frames via the "Many Beings Framework" (a structured, six-premise argument), Henderson reveals how the apparent contradictions dissolve.

This framework demonstrates that:

• God's Absolute Sovereignty operates without conflict in His eternal frame.
• Humanity possesses genuine, indeterministic Finite Free Will within our temporal frame.
• The challenge of theological fatalism is resolved through understanding God's timeless knowledge.
• Debates between Compatibilism vs. Incompatibilism reflect the differing logics of the divine and human frames.

Grounded in analytic philosophy and unwavering fidelity to Scripture, this work achieves its goals: defining sovereignty and freedom robustly, employing rigorous logic, staying consistent with the broad Christian philosophical tradition, and grounding conclusions in Scripture. It engages critically with key figures (Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Edwards, Plantinga) and offers compelling conclusions on election, original sin, the fallen nature, grace, libertarian free will, and hermeneutics.

If you are invested in Christian philosophy, theology, or logic, and seek an intellectually coherent and biblically sound resolution to the free will dilemma or the Calvinism vs. Arminianism tension, this book offers a vital perspective. Henderson’s unique ontology provides a clear pathway. For academics and serious readers searching for substantive Christian philosophy books tackling foundational problems with precision, Resolving the Free Will Dilemma is indispensable. Discover the clarity offered by understanding reality through distinct perceptual frames.