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Religious Studies: Ethics > 4A: Predestination > Flashcards

4A: Predestination Flashcards

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1
Q

Who was St Augustine?

A

An influential early Christian theologian. A powerful person in the hierarchy of the early Catholic Church

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2
Q

Why did Augustine state his theological view on predestination?

A

In response to the teaching of Celtic monk Pelagius. He was horrified by his free will theology because it seemed to diminish the power of God and make God something less than omnipotent

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3
Q

What does predestination suggest?

A

our final judgement has already been decided (it doesn’t say our actions are determined)

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4
Q

Latin for free will

A

Liberum arbitrum

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5
Q

What did Augustine say caused our desire to sin?

A

The corruption of our freedom by original sin

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6
Q

Augustine: “Our will can only …”

A

“do and desire evil”

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7
Q

Augustine says because the original human beings did wrong, human now find themselves born into …

A

a mass of sin (“massa peccati”)

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8
Q

What is concupiscence?

A

our uncontrollable urge to sin

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9
Q

When does Augustine say our sin is passed on to human offspring and why?

A

Conception: because of the uncontrollable lust that the parents experience for each other during sex

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10
Q

Who coined the term ‘liberium arbitrium’?

A

Tertullian

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11
Q

How did Augustine understand free will (scales analogy)?

A
  • weakened or wounded by sin but NOT ELIMINATED
  • Before Adam’s sin, man was capable of choosing freely, but after our free will is like a pair of scales that have been loaded on the side of evil
  • When we weight up good and evil to make decisions, we are biased towards making evil decisions
  • Only God’s grace can restore our free will to its original freedom
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12
Q

Why does Augustine say we can’t escape concupiscence?

A

Because Adam’s sun was so serious that it definitively corrupted human nature, and this corruption was inherited by all subsequent humans

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13
Q

How are we corrupted by the original sin?

A
  • “All humans were seminally present in the loins of Adam”
  • Adam’s fall away from God towards material temptations brought concupiscence into his nature; even into sex
  • Sex became concupiscent, meaning all humans are created in concupiscence
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14
Q

What did Augustine believe God wanted to do with our human nature?

A

heal and restore it to its original holiness and full freedom; he wanted this for no reason other than His loving will

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15
Q

How did Augustine view grace?

A

As a gift, not a reward: humans can never deserve it

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16
Q

If grace is up to God, what does this imply?

A
  • It is up to him whether or not to bestow it
  • Those chosen to receive the grace of having their sinful secondary nature erased as the “elect”
  • The not chosen are “reprobates” and remain in the massa peccati; but this doesn’t necessarily mean God has predestined them to damnation
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17
Q

What are the problem’s with God being the sole decider of who receives grace?

A
  • He isn’t obliged to save anybody, only who he wants to save
  • Therefore there are some people who God doesn’t wish to save
  • This means Christ died only to save those God wills to save
  • If Christ died for everybody, and God doesn’t want to save everybody, we could all expect His grace just by the fact we are human
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18
Q

Why does Augustine believe God’s grace is irresistible?

A
  • Because his grace rebalances the scales and removes the bias towards evil, freeing the liberum arbitrium
  • Heals human nature from concupiscence
  • God doesn’t force anyone to be good; grace doesn’t influence choice but the experience of His grace is irresistible so it is impossible to turn away
  • Having a healed and free liberum arbitrium means the person will now make good choices
  • The elect will resist sin and be saved because this is what their healed human nature will direct them towards doing
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19
Q

What did Pelagius believe about original sin and free will?

A
  • Believed the original sin was a cop out
  • We have the power and free will to obey God or not all by ourselves
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20
Q

How did Pelagius say we need to mature into God’s image?

A

by accepting the responsibility of our free will

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21
Q

What does Pelagius say is the only purpose of God’s grace?

A

To show us what the law that we have the freedom to obey is, and then help us to do it: it can’t make the choice by us

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22
Q

How did Pelagius disagree with Augustine?

A
  • Argued that Adam and Eve’s sin had not caused punishment for humanity
  • Augustine’s argument leaves no room for moral choice and responsibility
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23
Q

What did Pelagius say about the Original Sin?

A
  • He says God is fair; it is unfair for humans to be punished for what Adam did
  • Adam’s sin only affected himself; human nature was only MODIFIED by sin
  • “They themselves had to make a free will decision whether to eat or not to eat”
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24
Q

What did Pelagius say about the Fall?

A
  • Claimed deeds rather than faith can lead to salvation
  • Baptism is not needed for purity
  • Evan pagans can go to heaven
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25
Q

What does Pelagius say about the Gospels?

A
  • Matthew 5:48 suggests we have a natural capacity to seek God
  • God created us free; we have the freedom to not sin
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26
Q

How did Pelagius define grace?

A

A gift from God given to everyone at birth

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27
Q

What is grace of revelation?

A
  • shows us the way to follow
  • God’s guidance for us
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28
Q

What is the grace of pardon?

A
  • God grants forgiveness to those who freely repent and do their best to act well
  • Knows who will receive
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29
Q

What is the Pelagian Heresy?

A
  • He said Adam was liable to death and would have regardless of sin
  • Sin of Adam only hurt himself
  • Kingdom of heaven is accessible for those who strive for moral goodness
  • Pelagius was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic church
30
Q

Who was John Calvin?

A

A Christian theologian around the same time as Martin Luther

31
Q

How did Calvin develop Augustine’s ideas?

A
  • He further denied free will on the part of humans
  • Says God predestined some people for Heaven and some to Hell, just to show his glory
  • People’s destiny is up to God and nothing to do with our own choice
32
Q

What did Calvin say about the elect?

A
  • Elects are the people chosen through God’s own will who will be saved regardless of whatever they do with their life
  • The elect cannot become apostate and lose their status
  • predestined to eternal life
33
Q

What did Calvin say about the reprobates?

A
  • The people chosen by God who are totally depraved and destined to eternal damnation no matter what they do
34
Q

What does Calvin mean by irresistible grace?

A

Cannot resist the calling of God

35
Q

What did Calvin mean by unconditional election?

A

God chooses the elect purely through His own will

36
Q

What did Calvin mean by total depravity of humans?

A

The fall irreversibly corrupted the nature of humanity

37
Q

What did Calvin mean by limited atonement?

A

Christs death and atonement for our sins was for the elect

38
Q

What did Calvin mean by perseverance of the elect?

A

The elect cannot commit apostasy

39
Q

What is single predestination and who supports it?

A

God chooses the elect but doesn’t actively reprobate anyone; supported by Augustine

40
Q

What is double predestination and who supports it?

A

God actively chooses who would be saved and who would be damned

41
Q

How does the Roman Catholic Church argue that Calvin preaches double predestination?

A

He says God actively chooses the elect and the reprobate

42
Q

How does the Roman Catholic Church argue that Augustine preaches single predestination?

A

He claims that God only actively chooses the remnant, and merely passively refrains from selecting the reprobate

43
Q

What did Arminius argue?

A
  • Disagreed with predestination
  • Original Sin makes it harder to exercise free will but it is still possible
44
Q

What is prevenient grace?

A

grace that happens earlier than our choice, given by the Holy Spirit

45
Q

What did Arminius say was the purpose of God’s prevenient grace?

A

Allow humans to exercise free will

46
Q

Bible Verses to support Arminianism

A
  • Timothy: “God wants all people to be saved” - desires salvation for all
  • 2 Peter: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise” - God is patient and wants everyone to come to repentance
47
Q

Arminius’ denial of predestination

A
  • Doesn’t completely reject it
  • Rejected Calvinistic predestination
  • Says salvation requires Christ AND faith
48
Q

What does Arminius say the effect of original sin had on free will?

A
  • Agreed humanity is tainted by it
  • humans cannot choose God by themselves
  • Christs death gives humanity the grace needed to choose
  • The fall left disorder in the world, God permits sun but doesn’t approve of it
49
Q

Arminius’ Five Articles of Remonstrance: Article 1 - Salvation conditional on faith

A
  • Total depravity
  • Conditional predestination; based on God’s foreknowledge rather than coercive power
  • “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life”: John 3:36
50
Q

Arminius’ Five Articles of Remonstrance: Article 2 - Atonement open to all dependent upon faith in Christ

A
  • Unconditional election
  • humans were affect by original sin; renders mankind incapable of doing good alone
  • we cannot save ourselves but we are capable of freely choosing God; accessible for all
51
Q

Arminius’ Five Articles of Remonstrance: Article 3 - Holy Spirit helps us resist sin

A
  • Linked atonement
  • Christ suffered for everyone, so God can forgive everyone who freely choose to believe
  • John 15:15; prevenient grace
52
Q

Arminius’ Five Articles of Remonstrance: Article 4 - Grace comes through the Spirit but we can resist it

A
  • God’s saving grace is NOT irresistible
  • Full freedom to fall away
  • Elects chosen because God foresaw their faith and good works which arose from themselves
53
Q

Arminius’ Five Articles of Remonstrance: Article 5 - Believers can resist sin through the grace of the Spirit

A
  • perseverance of the elect
  • depends upon effort in cooperation with God’s help
  • John 10:28
  • we have to want God’s help to receive his assistance
54
Q

Arminian view on total depravity

A
  • we were affected by the fall but not left helpless
  • God does not interfere with man’s freedom
  • the sinner has the power either to cooperate with God’s spirit or resist it and perish
  • faith is man’s gift to God
55
Q

Calvinist view on total depravity

A
  • the fall has left man unable of himself to believe the Gospel
  • the sinners are corrupt and unable to choose good over evil
  • it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature
  • salvation is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God
56
Q

Arminian views to unconditional election

A
  • believes in conditional election
  • God selected elects based on foreknowledge that they would choose God
57
Q

Calvinist views to unconditional election

A
  • God didn’t select elects based on pre knowledge or virtuous qualities of the individual
  • Gods choice of the sinner, not the sinners choice of Christ
58
Q

Arminian views to limited atonement

A
  • Christs work only made it possible for humanity to be saved: we must choose to accept redemption
59
Q

Calvinist views to limited atonement

A
  • Christs work only made it possible for elects to be saved
60
Q

Arminian views to irresistible grace

A
  • We can resist Gods grace because we have free will
  • Man’s free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christs saving work
  • The Spirit cannot give life until the silent responds
  • Gods grace can therefore be resisted and thwarted by men
61
Q

Calvinist views to irresistible grace

A
  • Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation
  • Internal call cannot be rejected
  • The Spirit causes the elect to cooperate and come willingly to Christ
  • Therefore Gods grace is irresistible
62
Q

Arminian views to perseverance of the saints

A
  • Salvation can be lost
  • Not all Arminians agree on this point; some believe that ex sinners are eternally secure in Christ
63
Q

Calvinist views to perseverance of the saints

A
  • Salvation can never be lost
  • All those chosen by God are eternally saved
64
Q

Who did the Synod of Dort reject and why?

A

Rejected Arminius because they thought it was unscriptural

65
Q

Who did the Synod of Dort reaffirm?

A

Calvin

66
Q

How is the predestination of history shown in the Bible?

A
  • Prophecies come true, therefore God but predestine history to a certain degree
  • Or maybe God just knows what will happen rather than actually controlling it?
  • God specifically planned things like the coming of the Messiah because Jesus clearly indicated his death was planned (“I have planned it, surely I will do it” - Isaiah 46)
67
Q

How is the predestination of people shown in the Bible?

A
  • Indicates certain people are chosen by God for His purposes ie King David, the Apostles
  • Also indicates that God uses evil people for his own purposes: Pharaoh, Judas are left to their evil; a kind of predestination?
  • Jesus says in the NT that God has elected/chosen people for salvation “I chose you and appointed you.”
68
Q

Biblical support for free will

A
  • Hundreds of verses that tell us how we are to live: implies having free will and the ability to choose. If everything is predestined then advice is pointless as choice is not possible
  • Genesis; choice to eat from the tree. Command given implies choice, consequences if not obeyed
  • Moses; gave Jews a choice to follow God’s law and be blessed, or refuse, and be cursed
  • Jesus offers freedom to those who believe; “If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”
69
Q

Historical support for predestination

A

Catholic:
- Council of Carthage. Church leaders met to discuss various issues including Augustine’s doctrine of Original Sin
- Confirmed his doctrine: grace is a gift, not a reward or merit
- Denounced Pelagius’ view as heresy
- CC teaching remains Augustinian: main is free but free will and human nature are wounded by concupiscence. God chooses who obtains eternal life
Protestant:
- Leaders met after Calvin’s death at the Synod of Dort and confirmed his teaching on double predestination
- Rejected the Arminianism view: it is NOT up to a persons free will to accept/reject salvation in Christ
- Accepted all five points of Calvinism as official Reformed teaching

70
Q

Historical support for free will

A

Mornonism:
- Followed Pelagius’ teaching on free will, that having been saved by Jesus from sin human free will is completely restored and they are “free forever, knowing good and evil”
Methodist:
- Arminus believed Christ died for all, and it was up to the individual to freely choose whether or not to accept the benefits of God’s grace in Christ
- John Wesley taught “a person is free not only to accept salvation, but to reject it”: although guided by the Holy Spirit, humans are free to make their own choices

71
Q

Theological support for predestination

A
  • God’s omnipotence; if he is omnipotent then it must be true that His plans come to pass no matter what humans choose or decide
  • If human free will could decide what happened, and undermine God’s plans, then God would not be omnipotent
  • Protestant: Calvin believed in God as Sovereign and Almighty. Humans can only be sinful or righteous by his decree. also believed humans can do nothing good at all by themselves and cannot even desire to be saved from sin (total depravity). This confirms God’s goodness and power when he does act to save some.
  • Catholic: Augustine argued God’s omnipotence requires him to be the one who predestines who will be saved: it isn’t humans who choose this. Beings cannot be good (massa peccati) and because salvation is not something you earn; it is a pure gift from God. Augustine believed humans are created with a free human nature which hasn’t been completely lost, with Gods healing grace they can become more free and co operate in working towards their salvation but not to the point of deciding their own salvation for themselves
  • Bertrand Russell: argued the view of God as omnipotent makes him “a monster” if he decides who is elected or damned but then punishes them for this. “A God that punishes or rewards on the basis of God’s own eternal decisions is unfair and immoral”
72
Q

Theological support for free will

A
  • Pelagius: emphasised God’s goodness, he created us and sent Jesus for salvation. Believed in that accepting Jesus, our free will had been completely healed and man was restored to his original goodness and holiness. Redeemed man has the ability to choose good and the power to be perfect by his own deeds. The Pelagians rejected Augustine’s idea of Original Sin because they didn’t think that God would be so unjust as to punish all of humanity for the sin of two individuals
  • Arminius: thought predestination was inconsistent with the behaviour of an omnibenevolent being. “Man is not an automation in the hands of God”. God’s goodness gives man the dignity of having free will to decide his own fate, and makes salvation possible for everyone if they choose rightly. His view was rejected by other protestants but his followers (the Remonstrants) took up his teaching and was later accepted as the view of the Methodist church. He also argued that predestination implied God was responsible for sin and people being reprobates

Religious Studies: Ethics (20 decks)

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