Augustine of Hippo: Selected Writings (continued)
INTRODUCTION
a theory of predestination, which cannot be reconciled with the existence of human responsibility. Theories of predestination incompatible with free will have always been condemned by the Church whether or not they put themselves forward under the authority of St. Augustine. According to many Augustinian scholars, however, he has consistently upheld human responsibility for cooperation with the divine Will in the work of salvation.
Eugene Portalié?! quotes Augustine as having said in his work On Genesis against the Manicheans: "All men can be saved, if they wish it."7? When Augustine referred to this passage in his Retractations after having written the work On the Gift of Perseverance, he commented: "It is absolutely true that all men can do this, if they wish, but their will is prepared by the Lord."'? He first interpreted this preparation as, in some sense, exterior, as when he said to Simplicianus: "Whomever he has mercy on he calls in such a way as he knows to be appropriate for him that he not spurn the Caller."'+ Later he interpreted this preparation to be a series of actual graces given interiorly to the will to enable it to have faith in Christ, to love God and neighbor through good works, and to persevere in faith and love until death. Yet he still spoke of this interior grace as preparing the will and still gave to the human will the power of cooperation with the divine will. In his last volume, the /ncomplete Work against Julian, he said: '""Man can will good, but his will is prepared by the Lord."75 Portalié notes that in his sermons Augustine not only said: '""Not knowing whether you are predestined, struggle as if you were," and added: "It depends on you to become one of the elect." "You have received the power to take your place on the right hand of the Lord, that is, to become a son of God." "It is now in your power... to choose which of these two [elect or reprobate] you wish to be ... choose while there is time.''"©
We need to ask: Did Augustine conceive his teaching on
71. Eugene Portalié, A Guide to the Thought of St. Augustine (Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1960)¢ pp. 177-229. For an opposing opinion, see J. P. Burns, The Development of Augustine's Doctrine of Operative Grace (Paris: Etudes Augustiniennes,
1980). 72. Augustine, On Genesis against the Manicheans, 3.6. 73. Augustine, Retractations, 10.2. 74. To Simpl. 1.2.13. 75. Augustine, Incomplete Work against Julian. 11.6. 76. Augustine, Homilies on Ps. 120.11.