A journal of academic theology

DISCERNMENT WITHIN A MUTUAL LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: A NEW THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

Theologians disagree on whether Christians can know what in particular God wills. Appropriate decisions often conflict with decisions God seems to want us humans to make. Methods of discernment are numerous and fallible. Spiritual writers depict discerners as passively receiving God’s will or discovering God’s predetermined plan. As an alternative, this article proposes that an illuminating, mutual love relationship with God requires humans to codetermine God’s will for themselves and others. They respond to the Spirit who frees and leads by attraction.

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