The Christological Foundation of Human Freedom: Elias of Nisibis on Free Will and Intellect

This contribution aims to show that Elias of Nisibis’ understanding of free will is grounded theologically, and mainly on his Christological doctrine, where the humanity of Christ reveals the realisation of the perfect and true human free will, i. e. being identical to God’s will, therefore the humanity of Christ was like other human beings in everything except sin. To do this, the essay starts with an analysis of the arguments for which Elias rejects astrology in the Seventh Session with the Vizier al-Maġribī: (1) considering astrology an irrational and illogical knowledge; (2) maintaining that astrology opposes to human free will, explained in terms of moral responsibility, and (3) asserting that astrology opposes to human intellect, the source of rationality and morality in human beings. Follows an examination of the doctrine of Elias concerning human intellect and its psychic and moral faculties, responsible for the will and the free will of human beings respectively, as presented in his Dispelling Sorrow, written for the same Vizier. His consideration of free will as adhering to God’s will and obeying his law leads to the examination of Elias’ Christology as presented in his theological writings, like the Book of Demonstration and the Commentary on the Creed. His Christology, the basis of his anthropological doctrine, demonstrates that the true and perfect free will must be identical to the will of God exactly as Christ have shown, becoming a model to be followed. It will be argued, finally, that the indwelling of the divine Word in Jesus’ intellect is the basis of considering the indwelling of the divine reason in each human intellect as normative force that guarantees, for the human persons, possessing free will through which they are requested to obey to God’s will and to achieve their perfection, that is, the knowledge of God.