what was the name of the early theologian who developed the church’s understanding of free will
Free will in theology “Freedom” and ‘free will” can be treated as one because the two terms are commonly used as synonyms.[11] However, there are widespread disagreements in definitions of the two terms.[12] Because of these disagreements, Mortimer Adler found that a delineation of three kinds of freedom is necessary for clarity on the subject, as follows:
Dayananda Saraswati Dayananda's "back to the Vedas" message influenced many thinkers and philosophers the world over.[21]
John Bradford There is a 19th-century tradition tracing to Bradford the idiomatic "There but for the grace of God go I" as an expression of humility and reliance on God's grace rather than his own morality. The editor of The Writings of John Bradford, Aubrey Townsend, notes this in his preface:[11]
Shekhinah This term does not occur in the Bible, and is from rabbinic literature.[2]:148[3][4]