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Grace, Actual and Habitual: A Dogmatic Treatise

Chapter 2: Introduction
By Joseph Pohle
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Religion/Spirituality

About This Book

A systematic dogmatic treatment defines and distinguishes actual and habitual (sanctifying) grace, explaining actual grace as transient supernatural assistance and habitual grace as an enduring sanctifying habit. It analyzes the nature, division, and properties of actual grace — necessity, gratuity, universality — and addresses divine predestination and reprobation. The relation between grace and free will is examined through debates involving Protestant and Jansenist critiques and theological responses such as Thomism, Augustinianism, Molinism, and congruism. The account of justification traces the genesis and effects of sanctifying grace, discusses faith and preparatory acts, characterizes the state of justification, and considers the merit and requisites of good works.

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Imprimatur

NIHIL OBSTAT

Sti. Ludovici, die 18 Jan. 1919

F. G. Holweck,
Censor Librorum

IMPRIMATUR

Sti. Ludovici, die 21 Jan. 1919

Joannes J. Glennon
Archiepiscopus
Sti. Ludovici

Copyright, 1914
by
Joseph Gummersbach

All rights reserved

Printed in U. S. A.

BECKTOLD
PRINTING & BOOK MFG. CO.
ST. LOUIS. U. S. A.

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Introduction

Humanity was reconciled to God by the Redemption. This does not, however, mean that every individual human being was forthwith justified, for individual justification is wrought by the application to the soul of grace derived from the inexhaustible merits of Jesus Christ.

There are two kinds of grace: (1) actual and (2) habitual. Actual grace is a supernatural gift by which rational creatures are enabled to perform salutary acts. Habitual, or, as it is commonly called, sanctifying, grace is a habit, or more or less enduring state, which renders men pleasing to God.

This distinction is of comparatively recent date, but it furnishes an excellent principle of division for a dogmatic treatise on grace.1

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