4A: Religious concepts of predestination Flashcards
1
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Background to determinism - keywords:
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- determinism
- religious determinism
- philosophical determinism
- hard determinism
- soft determinism
2
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Determinism definition:
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- the theory that moral agents are either limited in moral choices they make or there are no moral choices they can make at all.
3
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Religious determinism definition:
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- in religious theology, often referred to as ‘predestination’. Religious determinism revolves around the idea that God is sovereign over all things - including humanity.
4
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Philosophical determinism definition:
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- idea that humanity’s free will is limited by external factors, e.g. genetics. God can still be a part of this although it’s not a necessity.
5
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Hard determinism definition:
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- the belief humanity has absolutely no free will. E.g. humanity’s moral choices are 100% determined.
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Soft determinism definition:
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- the belief that humanity has only partial free will. They are only partly determined.
7
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Predestination contributors
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- St Augustine
- John Calvin
8
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St Augustine: part one - why humanity is predestined:
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-
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15
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John Calvin background:
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- several centuries later John Calvin also presented a predestination theology. One of the leading disgusted in the reformation.
- theory is known as ‘Doctrine of Election’.
- based on two fundamental beliefs: that God ie sovereign of all and ‘sola scriptura’. The belief that the Bible ie source of all knowledge of God.
16
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‘Doctrine of Election’ - part one:
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- sinful nature
- Calvin believed humanity’s sinful nature was a result of Adam and Eve
- as a result humanity cannot choose to obey the commands of God because we are ‘totally depraved’
17
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‘Doctrine of Election’ - part two:
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- however this doesn’t mean Calvin believed all of humanity was predestined to damnation. He believed some would receive salvation from God.
18
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What are the elect?
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- chosen by God before they are born. Person cannot do anything during their lifetime to change it
- they have been chosen by God to have their sins forgiven, through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
- they have done nothing to to deserve this good fortunate: it is a mystery why some are chosen by God and others not
- Calvin did state that the elect could still be sinful. However God predestined them to have faith in the atonement of Jesus (irresistible grace).
19
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What are the reprobates?
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- are also chosen randomly by God. Again, a person cannot do anything to change this.
- were more likely to show traits of why they will go to hell post-mortem. E.g. laziness and addiction to sinful acts. Automatically condemned to hell.
/ could still have done morally worthy actions during their lifetimes, but they would have been unable to resist sin at various points in their lives
20
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Limited atonement:
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- suggesting that Jesus only died for the elect.
