What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith Video Trailer
One and a half minute trailer for the new video study series from Ascension Pres...
One and a half minute trailer for the new video study series from Ascension Pres...
Christians are called to be intentional disciples who make a conscious decision ...
The prophets of the Old and New Testaments show us that sometimes love demand that we speak truth that people don't want to hear. Jeremiah was thrown...
In this 14 minute podcast, Dr. Italy discusses the inspiring life of the great friend of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Claire. Her name means light or c...
Jesus' call to enter through the narrow door seems to conflict with the idea that God wants all to be saved, that the universal, Catholic Church means...
Isn’t Advent great? Welcome to the season where the only song we sing for four weeks is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel! It’s the best! Advent is...
28 November, 2016Most Americans tend to think of religion as something rather fluid. It’s very common for us to say things like “all religions are basicall...
12 February, 2016In this video, Dr. Italy discusses Augustine’s fight against both Manicheans and Pelagians defending free will on the one hand and the utter necessity of grace on the other in light of original sin.
In this, video #20 in his series on the Catholic Theological Tradition, Marcellino D’Ambrosio, Ph.D. (Dr. Italy) shows why Augustine is known as the “Doctor of Grace.” Augustine defends free will against Manicheans and other who believe in fate. Yet, at the same time, he shows the limits of free will by developing the biblical doctrine that becomes known as original sin.
Augustine insists that human will is wounded by sin and only by grace can human beings even begin to return to God and say yes to his offer of salvation. So optimists, such as the monk Pelagius, who see grace as a mere bonus given in reward for virtuous action, attack Augustine. In his dispute with the Pelagians, Augustine helps to develop the Catholic doctrines of grace and original sin.
This video on Augustine and grace is from a graduate course in theology called the Catholic Theological Tradition. One can enroll in this and other courses for credit at the Catholic Distance University, www.CDU.edu.
For more from St. Augustine, see the AUGUSTINE Section of the Crossroads Initiative Library.
For more on the topic of God’s free gift of his favor, see the GRACE section of the Crossroads Initiative Library.
From a colorful and varied background as a professor of theology, a father of five, business owner, and professional performer Marcellino D’Ambrosio (aka “Dr. Italy”) crafts talks, blog posts, books, and videos that are always fascinating, practical, and easy to understand. He is a popular speaker, TV and radio personality, New York Times best-selling author, and pilgrimage host who has been leading people on a journey of discovery for over thirty years. For a fuller bio and video, visit the Dr. Italy page. For a full Curriculum Vitae (CV) of Dr. Italy, click here.
No Comments