The Theology of Divine Grace: An Introduction

Grace is a fundamental concept for the Christian life. But what exactly does ‘grace’ mean? This book offers an introduction to this vital area for theology and for the lived experience of faith.

The theme of grace is placed within the area of theology known as Theological Anthropology. Theological Anthropology studies what God has revealed to us about the meaning of the human person. This particular work focuses on how the action of the Holy Trinity transforms man and raises him to the new dignity of being a son of God.

Topics covered include the relationship between the natural and the supernatural, as well as the meaning of grace in Sacred Scripture and in the theological tradition. Special attention is given to the thought of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. John Paul II, as well as to the insights of biblical scholarship.

Particular chapters deal with various aspects of the mystery of grace, including the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the soul of the Christian, divine filiation in Christ, and the interior transformation of the soul brought about by God’s saving action. This book also explores how grace operates in relation to human freedom, and in the good works which are the fruit of God’s action and human cooperation. Finally, the book closes with a chapter on the way grace operates in the Christian’s everyday spiritual journey towards eternal life.