Molinism

Molinism is a theological view that attempts to reconcile the ideas of divine sovereignty and human free will within the context of God’s foreknowledge. It is named after the Spanish Jesuit theologian Luis de Molina (1535-1600), who developed this theological system in response to debates about predestination and free will in Christianity.

Key concepts and principles of Molinism include:

1. Middle Knowledge: The cornerstone of Molinism is the concept of “middle knowledge” (scientia media). According to Molinism, God possesses three types of knowledge: natural knowledge (knowledge of what could happen), middle knowledge (knowledge of what would happen under different circumstances), and free knowledge (knowledge of what will happen based on His own decree).
2. Middle Knowledge and Human Free Will: Middle knowledge allows God to know what every individual would freely choose in any given situation, without determining or causing those choices. This is often represented using the hypothetical concept of “counterfactuals of freedom,” which refer to what people would do under different sets of circumstances.
3. Divine Sovereignty: Molinism upholds God’s sovereignty by asserting that God’s knowledge is complete and comprehensive, including His knowledge of human free choices. However, unlike some other theological views, Molinism maintains that God’s knowledge of our choices does not determine or causally influence those choices.
4. Salvation and Predestination: Molinism provides a framework for understanding God’s role in salvation and predestination. It suggests that God, based on His middle knowledge, chose to create the world and set certain circumstances that would lead to the fulfillment of His redemptive plan without violating human free will.
5. Theological Compatibilism: Molinism is sometimes associated with theological compatibilism, which holds that divine sovereignty and human free will can coexist without logical contradiction. In this view, God’s foreknowledge and human freedom are compatible, allowing for a harmonious understanding of God’s providence and human responsibility.

Molinism has been the subject of theological debates within Christianity, particularly in discussions about divine foreknowledge, predestination, and human freedom. It has been especially influential within certain strands of Roman Catholic theology and certain Protestant traditions, particularly among Arminian theologians. However, like other theological systems, Molinism is not universally accepted, and alternative views on divine sovereignty and human free will continue to be debated among theologians and scholars.