Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The modern view of the human person sees freedom as sovereign acts of the will, evident in mantras like 'my body, my choice' and debates over biological reality. Yet this problem isn't new. In this two-part lecture series, we will explore Augustine's teaching on free will and his debate with Pelagius over grace. Are we free when we choose independently, or only when cooperating with God? Augustine's answers reveal that our souls, our families, and our society need God to be truly free.
This video is Part I of a two-part series. For Part II visit: instituteofcatholicculture.org/events/grant-what-you-command
Instructor:
Dr. Chad Pecknold received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (UK) and since 2008 he has been a Professor of Historical & Systematic Theology in the School of Theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Pecknold is the author of a number scholarly articles and books, including Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History (Cascade, 2010) and The T&T Clark Companion to Augustine and Modern Theology (Bloomsbury, 2014). Dr. Pecknold is also a frequent contributor to debates in the public square, writing regular columns for First Things and National Review, and is a regular contributor on EWTN News Nightly offering his clear analysis and expert opinion on the Catholic Church, the papacy, and the relationship between the Church and politics in American culture.
Want to dive deeper? Visit our website for hundreds of hours of free audio and video content: instituteofcatholicculture.org
The modern view of the human person sees freedom as sovereign acts of the will, evident in mantras like 'my body, my choice' and debates over biological reality. Yet this problem isn't new. In this two-part lecture series, we will explore Augustine's teaching on free will and his debate with Pelagius over grace. Are we free when we choose independently, or only when cooperating with God? Augustine's answers reveal that our souls, our families, and our society need God to be truly free.
This video is Part I of a two-part series. For Part II visit: instituteofcatholicculture.org/events/grant-what-you-command
Instructor:
Dr. Chad Pecknold received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (UK) and since 2008 he has been a Professor of Historical & Systematic Theology in the School of Theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Pecknold is the author of a number scholarly articles and books, including Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History (Cascade, 2010) and The T&T Clark Companion to Augustine and Modern Theology (Bloomsbury, 2014). Dr. Pecknold is also a frequent contributor to debates in the public square, writing regular columns for First Things and National Review, and is a regular contributor on EWTN News Nightly offering his clear analysis and expert opinion on the Catholic Church, the papacy, and the relationship between the Church and politics in American culture.
Want to dive deeper? Visit our website for hundreds of hours of free audio and video content: instituteofcatholicculture.org
