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5 - Dubia, Part 2

Instrumental Causality in Christology

from Part II - Difficulties and Resolutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2025

J. David Moser
Affiliation:
Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
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Summary

This chapter poses the most difficult objection for the instrument doctrine, in particular as Aquinas conceives of it. For Aquinas, a created cause, Christ’s humanity, produces divine effects as an instrumental cause. But the tradition has affirmed that God alone is the cause of grace in the soul, and no created cause can produce grace. John Duns Scotus puts this objection to Aquinas’s account of instrumental causality, and this chapter argues that the criticism appears to succeed. If a created cause participates in the production of grace, as Aquinas argues, then Scotus argues that Aquinas fails to maintain the distinction of natures and powers in Christ basic to Chalcedonian Christology. For Christ’s humanity is taken up into God’s power and brings about the deification of the human person immediately, something only divine power can do. The ground is prepared for a response to this objection in the following chapter.

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  • Dubia, Part 2
  • J. David Moser, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
  • Book: The Humanity of Christ as Instrument of Salvation
  • Online publication: 21 August 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009664875.009
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  • Dubia, Part 2
  • J. David Moser, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
  • Book: The Humanity of Christ as Instrument of Salvation
  • Online publication: 21 August 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009664875.009
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Dubia, Part 2
  • J. David Moser, Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology
  • Book: The Humanity of Christ as Instrument of Salvation
  • Online publication: 21 August 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009664875.009
Available formats
×