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To: jo kus; annalex; HarleyD; kosta50; Forest Keeper
Even a bit earlier, about 100 AD we have this from +Ignatius of Antioch in his letter to the Romans (and what, pray tell, would +Ignatius know anyway, seeing as he learned his Faith direct from +John and +Peter?):

"I am writing to all the churches and am insisting to everyone that I die for God of my own free will - unless you hinder me. I implore you: do not be unseasonably kind to me. Let me be food for the wild beasts, through whom I can reach God. I am God's wheat, and I am being ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I might prove to be pure bread."

And this from +Clement of Alexandria in 190 (real late in the game!)

"A man by himself working and toiling at freedom from sinful desires achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself to be very eager and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. God works together with willing souls. But if the person abandons his eagerness, the spirit from God is also restrained. To save the unwilling is the act of one using compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace."

And then this from the same +Clement:

"Neither praise nor condemnation, neither rewards nor punishments, are right if the soul does not have the power of choice and avoidance, if evil is involuntary."

3,696 posted on 03/17/2006 3:14:22 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: Kolokotronis
thanks for the quotes from Ignatius. I looked a bit there, but didn't find anything right away... I didn't bother listing Clement's views, since it is well known that him and his student, Origen, were very much on the side of free will. There is plenty of material to draw from that well.

Brother in Christ

3,711 posted on 03/18/2006 7:53:18 AM PST by jo kus (I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore CHOOSE life - Deut 30:19)
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