Abstract
This entry deals with the notion of God’s foreknowledge. First, Augustine’s position is delineated, after which follows that of Boethius, in order to introduce the theological and philosophical topics which characterized the later discussion on divine foreknowledge. Then, the focus will turn to Aquinas’ view. Augustine, Boethius, and Aquinas furnish the arguments necessary to comprehend the discussion of the early modern era, characterized by both the Catholic–Protestant debate and the inner-Catholic debate between Molinist and Augustinian-minded theologians. Therefore, attention will be paid to Calvin, while the last section will focus on Molina, who followed (and improved) Aquinas’ terminology in order to better rebut Reform-minded theologians, although his theses were harshly criticized by anti-Pelagian Catholics.
References
Primary Literature
Aquinas, Thomas. 2000. Commento alle sentenze di Pietro Lombardo. Bologna: Edizioni Studio Domenicano.
Augustine. 1962. De Praedestinatione Sanctorum. BA 24.
Augustine. 1970. De diversis quaestionibus ad Simplicianum, ed. Mutzenbecher (CCSL 44). Turnhout: Brepols.
Calvin, J. 1962. Institutes of the christian religion. Trans. H. Beveridge. London: James Clarke.
Molina, L. de. 1988. On divine foreknowledge (part IV of the Concordia), ed. A. J. Freddoso. Ithaca: Cornell.
Secondary Literature
Craig, W. 1988. Divine foreknowledge and future contingents from Aristotle to Suárez. Leiden: Brill.
Gaskin, R. 1993. Conditionals of Freedom and Middle Knowledge. The Philosophical Quarterly 43: 412–430.
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Gerace, A. (2019). Foreknowledge in Renaissance Philosophy: Divine. In: Sgarbi, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_1007-1
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