Do angels have free will?

Great Debates
#1

I didn’t want to hijack this thread.

I, being raised a Catholic, was always told that angels had no free will. However, a quick search on google reveals the argument to have a lot of supports on either side. From what I can determine, the concept of angels having or not having free will was not mentioned in the bible, but was first argued by Thomas Aquinas.

Also, if angels did have free will, and they knew God in his full capacity, doesn’t their rejection of God really say something about him?

It’s been years since I was in Catholic schooling, so I turn to the boards on these matters.

So do angels have free will or not?

#2

I would say that yes, angels do have free will. In Christian circles, it is believed that Lucifer/Satan was/is an angel, and that he took 1/3 of the other angels with him. So, if they chose to rebel, then they must have had free will.

Good point, although most people would reply that the reason for their rebellion was because of their pride, and them wanting to be God.

#3

Angels do not have free will.

In order to possess free will, one must first possess a mind. Since angels exist only in the minds of humans, they do not have minds of their own and consequently cannot have free will.

Quite simple.

#4

Hey, way to contribute to the topic, antechinus.

#5

The problem is that the image of rebelling angels as such comes from Milton’sParadise Lost and thus not canonical.

#6

There is an interesting set of books called The Right Use of Will that answers this question in some detail. I won’t post any of it lest I sound like an utter raving lunatic.

#7

They must have free will or else they could never be persuaded to dance en masse on the head of a pin.

#8

Having great abilities and powers have nothing to do with having free will. All computers can be made to do their function with inhuman speed and effeciency, repetitiously and effectively. Barring the errant mad robot getting sentience, angels are like super robots obedient to God. They fulfill their functions but will always obey God. Granted, God has to be some super l33t programmer to do that to 7 races of beings but then if he couldnt, he wouldnt be God, would he?

#9

Rather than base your opinion on bits of scripture, why not go and observe the angels. Talk with them, ask them if they do or do not have free will. After all if angels are heavenly beings, they would be obligated to tell you the truth about such matters.

“Back in 1581, Dr. John Dee, Mathematician in the court of Queen Elizabeth I, and Edward Kelly began their now famous magical experiments contacting spiritual entities, and recording their communications, conveyed in the Enochian language.” (from The Complete Enochian Dictionary by Donald Laycock). Dee, and many others after him claim to have come in contact with all manner of angelic/demonic beings. Doing a quick google for “Enochian,” “Golden Dawn,” or “Aleister Crowley” will give you a good idea of the types of oranizations/personalities involved in this branch of research. Information can also be found at www.hermetic.com However, if you wish to conduct these types of experements yourself, I would suggest consulting the practices descriped in Liber O. (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/libero.html)

After practicing many of the above methods, my opinion is that angelic beings are bound by their nature and do not have fre will. They are partial beings (as opposed to a “god” who is a complete macrocosm, or a human who is a complete microcosm). Of couse, you may argue that I’m crazy, but don’t knock my opinions (or the opinions the the folks listed above) unless you’ve tried out the methods.

#10

In Judaic theology, angels do not have free will. And Satan (or, more accurately, “the Satan”) is not an evil being, merely an angel whose service to G-d consists of temptime mortals to sin. There was no “fall” such as it seems Christians believe in.

#11

According to Catholic theology, Thomas Aquinas specifically, angels do have free will

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/105903.htm

#12

Well that wraps it up then. I was wrong.

How about: does Frodo Baggins have free will?

#13

The question arises in my mind: 'is free will, imposed on a sentient being (imposed without possibility to decline and/or fully understand its consequences), really free will or just an ability to employ a possibly unwanted but non-returnable ‘gift’ not chosen by the use of a sentient being’s prior non-existent free will ?

#14

Well, we know that zombies don’t have free will, right?

#15

Though the canonical work states that “Through him (God) all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3), so all noncanonical works as well are also made by God and can be regarded as devine and inspired works, and like the canonical works just needing God’s help in understanding it.

#16

This is threadshitting.

Knock it off.

[ /Moderating ]

#17

This would seem to indicate angels that have made a free will decision:

#18

Is this the first time there’s been a nine-year gap between the infraction and the warning? :smiley:

#19

Yeah. it has been a long, hot day and even Mods can miss the occasional revivification of Zombies.

I’ll let the note stand as a notification to others, although Antechinus is clearly not in any trouble for an action that occurred before I was even a Mod. :stuck_out_tongue:

#20

My apologies - I reported this and I was the original one to miss the date.