Theological glossary · FaithLogic

Grace

God's unmerited favour and his active, transforming kindness toward those who deserve the opposite.

Greek charis (favour, gift, gratitude); Latin gratia.

Romans 3:24; 4:4–5; 5:15–21; 11:6; Ephesians 1:6–7; 2:5–9; Titus 2:11; 3:7.

The Augustine–Pelagius controversy (5th c.) fixed that saving grace is prior to and enabling of any human turning to God. Later debates: Augustinianism vs. semi-Pelagianism (Orange, 529); Reformed 'irresistible' grace vs. Arminian 'prevenient' resistible grace; Catholic distinctions of actual and habitual grace.

Grace is not merely a disposition in God but his effective action — pardoning and renewing.

Whether grace is resistible; the role of human cooperation; nature and grace (Catholic) vs. grace alone (Reformation).

Open in the glossary for related terms and the doctrines this concept appears in.