29 July 2008

Against, yet not Without, His Will

Just read this in Augustine's Enchiridion (on faith, hope and love), written well after, and sounding very different from, his "On the Free Choice of the Will" written in the immediate wake of his conversion in the 390s.

In a wondrous, indescribable way even that which is done against His will is not done without His will. It simply could not be done if He did not permit it, and of course He permits it not against His will, but with it; nor would He in His goodness permit evil unless in His omnipotence He could bring good even out of evil. (p. 95 of the ACW edition)

An ever-relevant and stabilizing reminder as we open our emails and receive phone calls and spill our coffee on our computers and get poison ivy and experience rejection and generally live life in a fallen world.

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