Dogmatic Theology Vol 2 - Shedd - VII - Chapter 3 The Human Will commenced

Required reading

Dogmatic Theology Vol 2 by William G.T. Shedd (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 3 'The Human Will' by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'The distinction between the will's inclination, and its volition, is of the highest importance in both psychology and theology' (page 131 of my edition).

My summary

Today we begin a chapter on the human will.

Firstly Shedd discusses the relationship of the will and desire and concludes that the moral desires and affections are the total action of the will. Thus, there are two faculties of the soul, the understanding and the will.

Shedd then teaches us that the understanding is the cognitive faculty of the soul, comprising the intellect and the conscience.  

The understanding is fixed and stationary.  Whereas the will is self-determining.  

The will is comprised of instinctive desires.  These are involuntary, transient and non-moral.

But the will is also comprised of moral and religious desires.

Shedd also includes a discussion of Biblical Hebrew and Greek terms used to refer to the understanding and the will.

What grabbed me

Really getting into the nitty gritty today.

I liked the description of the effect of the fall on the will: 'The will, unlike the understanding, is mutable. It is capable of a radical and total change, or revolution. It has met with such a change in the apostasy of Adam. Man now is inclined exactly contrary to what he was by creation. In respect to moral and religious ends and objects, he inclines, desires, loves, and acts directly contrary to what he did when he came from the Creator's hand. This great change is denominated a "fall." It is an overthrow, a catastrophe. It is not a mere difference in the degree or intensity with which the will operates, but it is an entire alteration of the direction of its activity. The fall of the will was a revolution, not an evolution.'

Our will still functions.  But it is inclined toward unrighteousness, rather than righteousness.

Next week's reading

Conclude Chapter 3 'The Human Will'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.