How does divine concurrence explain the simultaneous operation of primary causality (causa prima) and creaturely secondary causality (causae secundae)?

Classical theology (from Thomas Aquinas through Francis Turretin and Herman Bavinck) rejects both deism (which envisions God as an absentee watchmaker leaving secondary causes to act autonomously) and occasionalism or pantheism (which eliminates secondary causes, viewing God as the only real actor in the universe). Divine concurrence affirms dual agency without contradiction: God does not act alongside creatures as one competing cause among others on the same plane, but works immediately within and through the natural faculties, inclinations, and voluntary choices of creatures. A single event is 100% caused by God as the Primary Cause who ordains and sustains it, and simultaneously 100% caused by the creature acting according to its own nature.

How does divine concurrence preserve human moral responsibility without making God the author of evil (autor mali)?

Reformed scholasticism addresses this dilemma through the doctrine of compatibilism and the distinction between the physical/metaphysical entity of an action (the actus materialis) and its moral deformity or lawlessness (the anomia or actus formalis). God sustains the physical power and being necessary for an agent to perform any action, yet the moral evil, rebellion, and sinful defect of that act arise solely from the perverted, fallen will of the creature. As Francis Turretin illustrated, a musician plays upon an out-of-tune harp: the musician produces the motion and sound, but the discordant harshness is caused entirely by the defect in the instrument itself. God sovereignly concurs in human choices, directing them to holy eschatological ends, while leaving the creature entirely morally culpable.

How do biblical passages such as Genesis 50:20 and Acts 2:23 provide the empirical and theological proof for divine concurrence?

Scripture repeatedly displays the reality of divine concurrence in the dramatic apexes of redemptive history: 1) Genesis 50:20: In resolving the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers, Joseph declares: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive." There are not two separate actions, but one historical event simultaneously willed by evil human agents for wicked ends and willed by sovereign God for holy salvation; 2) Acts 2:23 & 4:27–28: In the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Apostles preach that Jesus was delivered up according to "the definite plan and foreknowledge of God," yet was lawlessly crucified by the hands of wicked men who did "whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." Divine concurrence provides the theological key reconciling divine sovereignty with human moral agency.

What is Divine Concurrence?

Quick Summary

Divine Concurrence (Concursus Dei) is the theological doctrine that God cooperates with created things in every action, directing them to cause their effects. It affirms a "dual agency" where God is the primary cause of all events, yet human beings (secondary causes) act freely and responsibly according to their nature (Proverbs 16:9, Philippians 2:12-13).

The doctrine of Divine Concurrence (known historically in Latin as Concursus Dei) teaches that God is actively involved in every event in creation while human beings genuinely act as responsible agents. According to this doctrine, God does not merely set the world in motion and then withdraw from it (as in Deism). Rather, He continually sustains, governs, and “concurs” (runs along with) all things in such a way that His will is accomplished through the real actions of creatures. Divine concurrence affirms both God’s absolute sovereignty and the reality of human freedom without collapsing one into the other.

The Place of Concurrence in Providence

To understand concurrence, one must view it within the broader scope of Divine Providence. Theologians historically distinguish three aspects of God’s rule:

Preservation: God keeps all things in existence.
Concurrence: God cooperates with created things in every action.
Government: God directs all things to their appointed end. Concurrence is the bridge between existence and purpose. It explains the mechanics of how God utilizes created beings to fulfill His plan.

Biblical Basis: The Dual Agency

Scripture consistently presents God as the one who actively rules over all that exists. “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3). This statement does not portray God as distant or passive, but as one whose will is effectively operative in the world. At the same time, the Bible assumes that human choices are real, meaningful, and consequential. People plan, decide, obey, rebel, and bear responsibility for their actions.

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A key biblical expression of this “dual agency” appears in Proverbs 16:9: “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Here, human planning is not denied; people genuinely deliberate and choose. Yet, the final direction and outcome of those choices unfold within God’s providential governance.

The Mystery of Causality: Primary and Secondary Causes

How do these two truths coexist? The doctrine explains this through the relationship between Primary and Secondary Causes.

God (The Primary Cause): He is the ultimate source of all power and the one who ordains the event.
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Humans (The Secondary Cause): They are the immediate actors who perform the deed according to their own nature and desires.

The same event can be fully attributed to human decision and fully attributed to God’s sovereign will, though in different senses. God works in, with, and under the human will. Importantly, God’s concurrence does not violate the nature of the secondary cause. If the agent is a stone, God causes it to fall naturally; if the agent is a human, God causes them to choose willingly.

Human Responsibility and Compatibility

The doctrine of divine concurrence is especially important for preserving human responsibility. God’s involvement in human actions does not mean that He coerces or overrides the will (like a puppeteer pulling strings). Scripture explicitly rejects the idea that God is the author of sin (James 1:13). Instead, God works through human willing itself.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:12–13, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” This passage is the locus classicus (classic text) for concurrence. Notice that Paul does not say, “God works, so you don’t have to.” Nor does he say, “You work, and God will help.” He teaches that because God is working internally, the believer is empowered to work externally. God’s action does not replace human willing but operates within it.

Concurrence in History and the Problem of Evil

Divine concurrence also applies to the broader scope of history. God’s activity extends to nations, cultures, and historical developments (Acts 17:26). Even when events appear chaotic, they are not outside His governance.

This framework is vital for understanding how God can accomplish His purposes even through human sin without being morally implicated in that sin. This is often called the Asymmetry of Providence: God stands behind good and evil asymmetrically. He is the direct cause of good, but He relates to evil by permitting and governing it for a greater purpose.

A clear example is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that Jesus was delivered up “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,” and yet He was crucified by “lawless men” who were held accountable for their actions (Acts 2:23). Similarly, Joseph tells his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). In one and the same event, humans acted with evil intent (and are guilty), while God acted through them with redemptive intent (and is holy).

Assurance for the Christian Life

For the Christian life, the doctrine of divine concurrence offers deep assurance. Believers are called to act, obey, pray, and persevere, knowing that their efforts are not isolated from God’s power. They do not labor in a vacuum.

At the same time, they are comforted by the truth that God’s purposes cannot fail. “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This promise does not deny suffering or hardship, but it affirms that God is actively concurring with every circumstance—even the painful ones—to weave a tapestry of grace.

Throughout the history of Christian theology, this combination of transcendence and nearness has been the believer’s anchor. God is exalted above all things, yet intimately involved with them (Isaiah 57:15). In summary, Divine Concurrence calls believers to trust fully in God’s sovereignty while faithfully engaging in obedient, responsible, and purposeful living.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Scholarly examination of the primary theological, historical, and biblical inquiries addressed in this guide.

What is the doctrine of divine concurrence (concursus divinus), and how does it fit within the classical theology of providence?

Divine concurrence (Latin: concursus divinus, or concursus Dei) is the profound dogmatic doctrine within classical Christian theism and Reformed orthodoxy that articulates how God, as the transcendent Primary Cause (causa prima), continually cooperates with, energizes, and acts alongside created finite entities as secondary causes (causae secundae). Concurrence forms the second pillar of the classical tripartite division of divine providence (providentia Dei): 1) Preservation (conservatio): God's continuous upholding of the existence and properties of all creatures; 2) Concurrence (concursus): God's simultaneous, sovereign operation in every event and creaturely action; and 3) Government (gubernatio): God's sovereign directing of all things toward their appointed teleological ends.

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