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:
Max Weber Maximilian Karl Emil "Max" Weber (/ˈveɪbər/;[4] German: [ˈmaks ˈveːbɐ]; 21 April 1864 – 14 June 1920) was a German sociologist, philosopher, jurist, and political economist. His ideas profoundly influenced social theory and social research.[5] Weber is often cited, with Émile Durkheim and Karl Marx, as among the three founders of sociology.[6][7][8][9][10] Weber was a key proponent of methodological antipositivism, arguing for the study of social action through interpretive (rather than purely empiricist) means, based on understanding the purpose and meaning that individuals attach to their own actions. Unlike Durkheim, he did not believe in monocausality and rather proposed that for any outcome there can be multiple causes.[11]