What happens to human freedom after the Fall? In today’s reading from Calvin’s Institutes, Book 2, Chapter 2, Calvin presses directly into one of the most uncomfortable questions in Christian theology: whether anything resembling free will truly remains once sin has done its work. Moving carefully between sloth and pride, Calvin critiques both pagan philosophers and well-meaning Christian theologians who tried to preserve human dignity by overstating human ability. Along the way, he exposes how easily “free will” becomes a theological placeholder rather than a carefully defined reality, showing why clarity here matters not only for doctrine, but for humility, grace, and the proper glory of God. This reading sets the stage for Calvin’s fuller account of the intellect, the will, and the depth of humanity’s dependence on divine mercy.

Readings:

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 2, Sections 1–4

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