A Comparative Study of the Relationship between the Doctrine of Grace and Man's Choice from the View of Imamiyyah and Catholic Sect

One of the common researchable issues between Imamiyyah and Catholic Christianity is the necessity of divine "grace" or "effluence" for man to achieve felicity and salvation. In this regard, these two sects pay complete attention to the principle of God's grace, with, no doubt, different presentations. While proposing the principle of grace, Imamiyyah emphasizes on man's choice and free will to achieve felicity. On the contrary, Catholic sect, along with an all-comprehensive scheme of the doctrine of grace, emphasizes on the weakness of man's will- who has descended due to the Original Sin- with regard to achieving felicity, and holds that divine effluence is the decisive factor in salvation. Using a theoretical-documentary approach, the present paper seeks to comparatively reanalyze the relationship between the principle of "grace" and man's "choice" from the view of Imamiyyah and Catholic sects. The most important research finding is that the last element of perfect cause of man's volitional acts is "choice" and " divine "grace" from the view of Imamiyyah and Catholic sects, respectively.