Augustinian Understanding of Human Freedom and the Divine Predestination as the Phenomenon of the Medieval Culture

The author considers the important problem of\nthe Medieval culture relating to the interrelation between\nhuman freedom and divine predestination. This theoretical\nissue is presented throughout the history of Christianity but it\nwas revealed and most actively discussed at the period of\nPatristics when the Western and the Eastern Church Fathers\nwere elaborating the Christian creed. This paper focuses on the\nphilosophical and theological doctrine of Augustine of Hippo\nabout human's freedom and God's predestination stressing\nthat thereafter the Augustinian viewpoint has been\ndetermining the evaluation of Western Christianity. At the\nsame time, it also analyzes Augustine's point of view\nrepresenting Western Patristics with the corresponding\nteaching of Eastern Patristics. Special attention is paid to the\ndifference in understanding the role and importance of man in\nthe relationship between personal freedom and the divine\npredestination.