Philosophy Quote by Gregory Alan Thornbury
““Occam’s epistemological developments effected an essential schism within medieval scholarship and precipitated a new school of philosophy that emphasized the freedom of the will of God in creation more than its predecessors. In other words, the nominalists/voluntarists claimed that the universe exists in its present form simply because God wills it so, in accordance with his own nature. And it was this idea that caught the attention of a young Augustinian monk named Martin Luther and, perhaps less directly, a French humanist named John Calvin. How””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Rise of Nominalism, Gregory Alan Thornbury, 2021
The shift to nominalist thought argued that God's will defines reality, influencing Reformation thinkers like Luther and Calvin.
In simple terms: God's will shapes reality, inspiring later reformers.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how theological ideas can reshape worldview.
Themes
theology
philosophy
history
reformation
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
historical
theological
When to use this quote
- academic study
- religious debate
- personal belief formation
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
nominalism
voluntarism
free will
Questions to Reflect On
- How does belief in divine will affect scientific inquiry?
- What are the limits of attributing all existence to will?
A Different Perspective
May overlook scientific explanations for natural phenomena.
![“[John] Calvin is revered as a thinker of immense importance in Reformed thought, Jonathan Edwards could say in his preface to his treatise on Freedom of the Will that he had derived none of his views from the work of Calvin, though he was willing to be called a "Calvinist" for the sake of…” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79f/oliver-d-crisp-12863_conventions_john-calvin-is-revered-as-a-thinker-of-i_1850444.jpg)
![“[John] Calvin is often identified with his account of predestination. Yet that appears in the third book of his Institutes, not the first.” quote by Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/969/oliver-d-crisp-12863_accounts_john-calvin-is-often-identified-with-his_1116600.jpg)
![“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions of phantasmatical seeming philosophy." [William Petty]” quote by Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5a/carl-zimmer-16331_knowledge_i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted_1770.jpg)
