Doctrine of the Will (ePub)

Asa Mahan (1799-1889) was an influential American clergyman, educationalist, and philosopher, renowned for his work in the abolitionist movement and his contributions to higher education. Born on November 9, 1799, in Vernon, New York, Mahan grew to become a significant figure in the Oberlin Collegiate Institute in Ohio, later known as Oberlin College, where he served as its first president from 1835 to 1850. A contemporary to figures like Charles Finney, Mahan was a proponent of Christian perfectionism and played a pivotal role in the religious movements of the Second Great Awakening. His philosophical works often intersected with his religious convictions, focusing on moral and ethical imperatives for human conduct. Mahan's book 'Doctrine of the Will,' a substantial contribution to the discourse on free will and moral agency, elaborates his views on the ability of individuals to make choices independent of divine preordination or complete determinism. His writings demonstrate a keen analytical prowess and stand as a testament to the intellectual rigor of 19th-century American spiritual thought. Not only was Mahan an author and theologist, but his enduring influence as an abolitionist and advocate for coeducation and racial integration at Oberlin cements his legacy as a progressive voice in American history.