Thomas Aquinas believed that God possesses the ability to exercise free will. Aquinas claims that God is free from any outside influence and can act according to His will. The fact is supported by Aquinas’ argument regarding God’s autonomy, which is presented in the Summa Contra Gentiles (Franzini & Büchler, 2018). Aquinas claimed that God has the freedom to select from several potential courses of action, informed by his infinite wisdom, rather than being obliged to act in a specific manner. Aquinas posits that the reason God’s behavior seems capricious to us stems from his lack of obligation to follow a set pattern of action, instead acting at his discretion.
Thomas Aquinas maintained the perspective that God has the capability to exert autonomy of choice. Aquinas argues that God is not subject to external forces and possesses the autonomy to act based on His own volition (Davies, 2014). Aquinas’ belief in God’s independence is reinforced through his argument in the Summa Contra Gentiles. According to Aquinas, God is free to choose among various options, guided by his limitless knowledge, rather than being constrained to act in a particular way (Kreeft, 2014). Aquinas suggests that God’s actions may appear unpredictable to us due to his freedom from any obligation to conform to a fixed set of behaviors, opting instead to act according to his own volition.
Aquinas argues that the ultimate achievement of goodness and perfection in the world is part of God’s divine plan. God’s free will is necessary for this plan to become a reality. Aquinas asserts that God’s unrestricted freedom allows Him to opt for and realize deeds that accurately synchronize with His impeccable will, thereby revealing His celestial scheme (Franzini & Büchler, 2018). God’s ability to choose is crucial, as, without it, external obligations or forces would limit his capacity to execute his divine plan accurately in accordance with his inherent attributes. Aquinas posits that the exercise of God’s unrestricted volition, coupled with his profound knowledge and wisdom, allows him to effect ideal determinations that facilitate the realization of his divine objectives. By employing his willpower, God possesses the ability to actualize goodness, flawlessness, and his sacred plan in the world.
Some may raise an objection that Aquinas’ stance on God’s free will contradicts his conviction that God possesses complete knowledge of all things. The argument put forward implies that if God’s omniscience allows him to know everything, including his future choices, then his choices would already be decided beforehand, thus causing his free will to be undermined. Aquinas has proposed a solution to harmonize the concepts of God’s all-knowing nature and human free will. Aquinas asserts that God’s ability to know everything does not impede his freedom of choice since his awareness of forthcoming occurrences does not dictate his decisions (Kreeft, 2014). The occurrence of future events is not activated by God’s knowledge of them, but it is a result of His holistic and perpetual understanding of everything. God’s all-knowing is rooted in his eternal existence, allowing him to possess simultaneous knowledge of the past, present, and future.
Aquinas stated that God’s decisions are not bound by his knowledge but are instead derived from the complete comprehension of his own nature and desires. God’s free choice remains unaltered by his understanding since his decisions are not influenced by external circumstances or prospective situations. Instead, his decisions stem from his natural flawlessness and sagacity. Despite having the ability to comprehend all conceivable alternatives and their consequences, God’s omniscience does not dictate his selection of a definite option. Aquinas maintains that God’s omnipotence and freedom exist in perfect harmony (Davies, 2014). God is free to make decisions based on his flawless will, and his vast knowledge guarantees that he makes these decisions with a complete understanding of all possible outcomes.
Aquinas’ perspective on God’s free will might face opposition on the grounds that it suggests God’s decision-making is unpredictable and inconsistent. The opposing argument posits that if God possesses the liberty to select any path, then his decisions may seem haphazard and devoid of any meaningful rationale or intention (Kreeft, 2014). Despite the objection raised against it, Aquinas presents an explanation to counter it in his work, the Summa Contra Gentiles. Aquinas suggests that God’s free will should not be associated with being random or impulsive. Although God has the freedom to select from all available choices, his decisions are not arbitrary or devoid of purpose. Instead, they are based on his flawless desire.
Aquinas argued that God’s nature is comprised of complete goodness, wisdom, and flawlessness. Therefore, His will is entirely in harmony with it. God’s exercise of free will doesn’t result in random or impulsive actions but instead enables him to act in complete harmony with his own character and the ideals of righteousness and enlightenment (Franzini & Büchler, 2018). Aquinas underscores that God’s free will functions in perfect concordance with his impeccable knowledge and comprehension. With his infinite wisdom, God makes choices that enable him to determine the most suitable route of action for every situation. Although God is not obligated to adhere to a predetermined path, his decisions invariably align with his flawless will, displaying his essential benevolence and sagacity. God’s liberty does not provide an allowance for sporadic or capricious choices (Kreeft, 2014). Instead, it grants him the capability to display his impeccable intentions in the universe. His decisions are deliberate, conscious, and consistent with his inherent characteristics.
Aquinas argued that God’s nature is comprised of complete goodness, wisdom, and flawlessness. Therefore, His will is entirely in harmony with it. God’s exercise of free will doesn’t result in random or impulsive actions but instead enables him to act in complete harmony with his own character and the ideals of righteousness and enlightenment. Aquinas underscores that God’s free will functions in perfect concordance with his impeccable knowledge and comprehension (Kreeft, 2014). With his infinite wisdom, God makes choices that enable him to determine the most suitable route of action for every situation. Although God is not obligated to adhere to a predetermined path, his decisions invariably align with his flawless will, displaying his essential benevolence and sagacity. God’s liberty does not provide an allowance for sporadic or capricious choices. Instead, it grants him the capability to display his impeccable intentions in the universe. His decisions are deliberate, conscious, and consistent with his inherent characteristics.
In a nutshell, Aquinas believes God has free will, essential for the divine plan, not constrained by external forces. Aquinas says God’s free will allows him to choose based on wisdom, not predetermined by omniscience. He refutes objections about arbitrariness. God’s actions are guided by his perfect will, guided by infinite wisdom and goodness. Aquinas argues that God’s free will enables him to fulfill his divine plan. Aquinas harmonizes God’s free will, omniscience, and perfect will, showing their compatibility.
References
Davies, B. (2014). Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae: a guide and Commentary. Oxford University Press.
Franzini, G., Passarotti, M., Moritz, M., & Büchler, M. (2018, December). Using and Evaluating TRACER for an Index Fontium Computatus of the Summa contra Gentiles of Thomas Aquinas. In CLiC-it.
Kreeft, P. (2014). Practical Theology: Spiritual Direction from Saint Thomas Aquinas. Ignatius Press.
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