Three Views on Election
Table of Contents
Election Overview 3
Conditional Election 4
Overview 4
Conditional Election and Fatalism 4
Conditional Election and Semi-Pelagianism 5
James Arminius and John Wesley 6
Unconditional Election 8
Overview 8
Double Unconditional Election 8
Gottschalk of Orbais 8
Ulrich Zwingli 9
Martin Luther 9
John Calvin 10
Single Unconditional Election 10
Augustine 10
Thomas Aquinas 12
Conclusion 13
Election Overview
Gregory A. Boyd & Paul R. Eddy, in their book across the spectrum, pose a scenario:
“While driving drunk, a person hits and kills a little girl. A Christian friend of the girl's parents tries to comfort them by reassuring them that ' God is in control' and that somehow' all things work together for good.' The mother is comforted by these words, but the father becomes enraged.' If God is behind my little girl's death,' he insists, ' he's not all-loving and all-good. Any God who would purposefully snuff out our little girl's life and leave us in this nightmare is cruel!' A second friend of the family agrees with the father and insists that God was not behind the tragedy. ' The drunk driver alone is to blame for your little girl's tragic death,' he tells the father. ' God is as saddened by this event as you are. Now he just wants to comfort the two of you.'1”
As we approach this discussion, we have to ask the question, how does our interpretation of the sovereignty of God and the free will of man color our ability to counsel, encourage, and teach the lost and hurting? Is friend one in the example above correct, or is it friend two? If it is friend one, then how do you handle God controlling of tragic events (or unwillingness to intervene), such as the reckless and seemin...
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...ook III)." CHURCH FATHERS: De Principiis, Book III (Origen). http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04123.htm (accessed May 1, 2014). Read about 5p (It was online)
Stephens, W. P.. The theology of Huldrych Zwingli. Oxford: Clarendon Press ;, 1986. Read 2p
The "Summa theologica" of St. Thomas Aquinas. London: Burns, Oates & Washburne, Ltd., 1916. Read 6p
Wesley, John. Free grace a sermon preached at Bristol.. Boston: Bristol, printed. Philadelphia, re-printed by Ben. Franklin :, 1741. Read 2p
Wesley, John. Predestination calmly considered By John Wesley, M.A.. The 6th ed. London: Printed by J. Paramore: and sold at the New Chapel; and at the Rev. Mr. Wesley's preaching-houses in town and country, 1786. Read 5p
Zwingli, Ulrich, Samuel Macauley Jackson, and Clarence Nevin Heller. Commentary on true and false religion. Durham, N.C.: Labyrinth, 1929.Read 9p
Hobbes, Thomas. “Of Religion.” ed.Smith,Lacey Baldwin and Jean Reeder Smith. The Past Speaks. 2nd ed. 1 vol. Lexington: Heath, 1993.
“Does belief in God influence decisions?” This question and many others are asked by countless readers after experiencing what is Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. This thrilling post-apocalyptic novel follows the journey of a nameless father and son traveling down a long road after what can only be described as the end of the world as we know it. It centers around their fight for survival and their quest to find somewhere in this new world that’s safe. In the background of the gritty feature is the constant thought of God and his influence on moral decisions. McCarthy illustrates through the choices made by the characters how belief in God or lack thereof molds someone’s personal decisions and maybe even slants their moral compass in different directions.
John Wesley read Isaac Watts at Oxford and was familiar with his writings and theology Further, there can be no doubt that Wesley greatly respected Watts as a theologian. In a 1765 journal entry Wesley wrote of his positive relationship with the Dissenters, although, "... many of them did, however, differ from me both in opinions and modes of worship. I have the privilege to mention Dr. Doddridge, Dr. Watts, and Mr. Wardrobe." (1) Wesley thought so highly of some of Watts' theology that he included forty-four pages of Watts' text on original sin, The Ruin and Recovery of Human Nature, in his own volume titled, On Original Sin. (2) That Watts and John Wesley had a relationship of mutual respect, and that Wesley recognized Watts' preeminent reputation
Aquinas, St. Thomas. COMMENTARY on SAINT PAUL'S EPISTLE to the GALATIANS. Trans. F. R. Larcher. Albany: Magi Books, 1996.
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Wulff, D. W. (1998) Rethinking the rise and fall of the psychology of religion. In A.L. Molendijk and P. Pel (Eds.), Religion in the making: The emergence of the sciences of religion, (pp.181-202).
On the issue of predestination Wesley held that “God has decreed that those who believe will be saved; those who do not believe will not be saved” (p. 174, Abraham). Wesley went ever farther in the “God makes the decree, but the decree does not exclude genuine human agency and freedom; indeed, it builds the exercise of such freedom into the very content of the decree” (p. 174, Abraham). He held that if one would come to God that they should have no doubts about their salvation. God has a drive for our salvation but it is an active choice that we must make, even those God knows what the decision will be from the very beginning.
His life, commitment to holiness, and devotion to the word of God created a movement that still thrives two hundred years after its genesis. From the rectory fire to the forests of Savannah, Georgia, Wesley’s influence is impossible to ignore. This influence can be seen in the Methodist Church, and can be heard in church choirs each week through the hymns that he and his brother penned. A testament to the power of his preaching can be seen at his funeral, where tens of thousands flocked to his coffin in City Road Chapel despite John’s plea for a simple funeral. His pursuit of holiness ruffled the feathers of those around him, and many did not see the genius in a man who considered perfection as attainable on earth. At his core, John Wesley knew without a doubt that “man is justified by faith and perfected in love,” frequently declaring this to be true. He knew that Jesus did everything necessary for salvation, and that all men, regardless of the color of their skin, have the right to life, liberty, and freedom. John Wesley’s faults and failures “contributed to making him a great preacher and a loveable man,” which is why his preaching attracted such a large following. During his life, John Wesley sold himself out for Christ in everything, from his career to his letters, and by doing this became one of the great figures in Christian
If we could not seek to reform ourselves and change our ways and not take full advantage of God?s free grace, looking toward salvation, then what is the point. And as Wesley states if this is so, ?But if this be so, then is all preaching vain? he again states ?that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God.? That is doctrine abolishes several parts of holiness. That it does not hold the meekness and love that Christ portrayed. It does not show the love for our enemies which scripture teaches. If you believe this then you would not help those who are not disciples and need to experience God?s
New Essays in Philosophical Theology, ed. Anthony Flew and Alasdair MacIntyre, London, S.C.M. Press, 1955, p. 152.
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Peacocke, A. R. Theology for a Scientific Age: Being and Becoming--natural and Divine. Oxford, OX, UK: B. Blackwell, 1990. Print. (BL 240.2 .P352 1990)
Rev. D.J. Leary. St. Augustine on Eternal Life. Burns, Oates and Washbourne, Ltd., London : 1939.
3) The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. Whether God Exists? 1920. New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/100203.htm. K. Knight. 2003.
Bainvel, Jean. The New Catholic Encyclopedia. New York City: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15006b.htm (accessed September 23, 2011).