
Free Will & Moral Responsibility | A Conversation with Dr. James Joiner
From The Nathan Jacobs Podcast by Nathan Jacobs
January 1, 2026 · 1h 34m
About this episode
Dr. James Joiner discusses libertarian free will and its implications for moral responsibility through the lens of theology and psychology.
Enroll in Dr. Joiner’s class: https://myprofer.com/courses Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Dr. James Joiner discusses libertarian free will, contrasting it with compatibilist and determinist positions through the lens of patristic theology and developmental psychology. The conversation examines Gregory of Nyssa's theological anthropology, the concept of synergistic cooperation in theosis, and cross-cultural evidence for the universality of free choice. Dr. Joiner argues that both ancient Christian thought and contemporary research support the view that human beings possess genuine self-determination, exploring implications for moral responsibility, bioethics, and the differences between Eastern and Western theological frameworks. All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/ X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia…
People in this episode
Host: Nathan Jacobs
Guest: Dr. James Joiner
Topics covered
- free will
- moral responsibility
- patristic theology
- theological anthropology
- determinism
- compatibilism
- theosis
Keywords
- free will
- libertarian free will
- compatibilism
- determinism
- Gregory of Nyssa
- theological anthropology
- theosis
- moral responsibility
- Eastern Orthodox theology
- bioethics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: East West Lecture Series, myprofer, Substack, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Facebook, Academia
Books & works: theosis, patristic theology, theological anthropology, libertarian free will, compatibilism, determinism
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