<P> In the eighth century, John of Damascus emphasized the freedom of the human will in his doctrine of predestination, and argued that acts arising from peoples' wills are not part of God's providence at all . Damascene teaches that people's good actions are done in cooperation with God, but are not caused by him . </P> <P> Gottschalk of Orbais, a ninth - century Saxon monk, argued that God predestines some people to hell as well as predestining some to heaven, a view known as double predestination . He was condemned by several synods, but his views remained popular . Irish theologian John Scottus Eriugena wrote a refutation of Gottschalk . Eriugena abandoned Augustine's teaching on predestination . He wrote that God's predestination should be equated with his foreknowledge of people's choices . </P> <P> In the twelfth century, Thomas Aquinas taught that God predestines certain people to the beatific vision based solely on his own goodness rather than that of creatures . Aquinas also believed people are free in their choices, fully cause their own sin, and are solely responsible for it . Aquinas distinguished between several ways in which God wills actions . He directly wills the good, indirectly wills evil consequences of good things, and only permits evil . Aquinas held that in permitting evil, God does not will it to be done or not to be done . </P> <P> In the thirteenth century, William of Ockham taught that God does not cause human choices and equated predestination with divine foreknowledge . Though Ockham taught that God predestines based on people's foreseen works, he maintained that God's will was not constrained to do this . </P>

Who developed the idea that god knows at birth who is destined for salvation or damnation