Sin, Grace and Free Will: A Historical Survey of Christian Thought Volume I : The Apostolic Fathers to Augustine

In this first volume of Sin, Grace and Free Will, Matthew Knell embarks on a journey through centuries of Christian thought, from the Apostolic Fathers to St Augustine of Hippo. While the themes of sin, grace and free will are familiar to any Christian, Knell provides a comprehensive overview of how people such as Irenaeus, Gregory of Nazianzus and Augustine explored these ideas, following the development of early church philosophy on topics such as the problem of evil and the crucial difference between conscious and unconscious sin, as well as the distinction between body and soul. An indispensable primer for any beginning scholar, Sin, Grace and Free Will presents the writings of Christian thinkers of the early church in context and examines the progress of church doctrine from the nascent model of sin in the Shepherd of Hermas to Origen's analysis of divine influence on human will and Augustine's seminal work on grace and salvation.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Early Church Views 2. Irenaeus 3. Tertullian 4. Origen 5. The Greek Fathers on Sin 6. The Greek Fathers on Grace 7. The Greek Fathers on Free Will 8. Early Augustine 9. Late Augustine Epilogue: After Augustine Final Thoughts Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Matthew Knell is Lecturer in Historical Theology and Church History at the London School of Theology, as well as lecturing for Notre Dame University, Indiana, in the London Global Gateway and for the London programme of Biola University. He studies historical theology and is the author of The Immanent Person of the Holy Spirit from Anselm to Lombard: Divine Communion in the Spirit (2009). In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters and his students past and present.

Review :
'[T]his is a brilliant first volume of an important new series. Clearly laid out, nicely written, and throughout comprehensive, this is an excellent introduction into what early church thinkers actually though about sin, grace and free will. I would recommend it to those studying in these areas, as well as to pastors thinking deeply about these issues or perhaps wrestling with them themselves. Matt writes from his own perspective, but lets the sources speak for themselves, and is keen for the readers to make their mind up. I look forward to the next volume, and the next phase of church history. Knell is an able and warm guide!' - Thomas Creedy, www.thomascreedy.com, December 2017 'Reading this book could be helpful for those who have not really studied the early fathers. This book will certainly expose them to a plethora of original sources and in this manner, Knell's book can be considered a success.' Herzer, Mark A. PhD, Pastor of Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church in Warminster PA. The Confessional Presbyterian, pg226, Volume 14, 2018 Knell Should be commended for his hard work in collecting the various quotations and passages contained within this volume. -Andrew C. Chronister, Theologische Revue