Molinism

American  

[moh-luh-niz-uhm, mol-uh-] / ˈmoʊ ləˌnɪz əm, ˈmɒl ə- /

noun

1. the theological doctrine, formulated by Luis Molina, that the consent of the human will is necessary for divine grace to be effective.

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Molinism British  

/ ˈmɒlɪnɪzəm /

noun

1. RC Church a doctrine of grace that attempts to reconcile the efficacy of divine grace with human free will in responding to it

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Other Word Forms

• Molinist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Molinism

First recorded in 1660–70; Molin(a) + -ism

Example Sentences

While Thomism devoted its efforts mainly to the defense of grace, Molinism made it its chief business to champion the dogma of free-will.

From Grace, Actual and Habitual A Dogmatic Treatise by Preuss, Arthur

Gordon, in a few words, gave the history of Jansenism and Molinism; of those persecutions with which one party hampered the other; and of the obstinacy of both.

From Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume by

Another and more plausible contention of the Thomist school is that Molinism, too, is compelled to ascribe sin somehow to God.

From Grace, Actual and Habitual A Dogmatic Treatise by Preuss, Arthur

The first-mentioned method has given birth to two closely related theological systems, Thomism and Augustinianism; the latter to Molinism and Congruism, which are almost identical in substance.

From Grace, Actual and Habitual A Dogmatic Treatise by Preuss, Arthur