Death and the Afterlife Pt 3 Flashcards
Quote John Calvin on Calvinism in his Westminster confession of faith
“some… are predestined unto everlasting life: and others foreordained to everlasting death”
- Calvinism is associated with double predestination
- God’s will is hidden and we should not try to presume what he has in store
- What God reveals takes into account our limited knowledge
What type of election does Calvinism refer to?
- St Paul says God chooses all KINDS people (Gods grace and mercy is for us all)
- Gospels preach to all people ‘Unlimited election’
- Both elect and non-elect have a duty to act morally
What does Calvinism refer to double predestination as?
- The most ‘dreadful decree’, he believes it is difficult to comprehend
- It does not undermine the moral life but encourages it
- Accuses theologians such as Aquinas for over intellectualising and systematising the doctrine of predestination
What is Thomas Aquinas and the CC view on predestination? (Quote)
- Aquinas did not think the Fall wiped out human freedom
- CC teach single predestination, God elects righteous for heaven and wicked exclude themselves
“God predestines no one to go to hell… a wilful turning away from God is necessary” - Catechism - Elect are chosen because God knows they will achieve their good end
- Relationship between Gods foreknowledge and human freedom diminishes moral responsibility
What is Universalism?
- ‘apokotastasis’ shows hell is not eternal and the eschatological goal of the cosmos is perfection and return to the Pre-Fall state
- God’s goodness and love requires all humans to achieve salvation
- If humans have free will then all will eventually achieve perfection
Why does Universalism appeal to modern theologians?
- Includes all people of faith or no faith at all
- Reasonable to assume that due to geographical, cultural and political reasons people differ in belief systems
- This should not exclude them from reconciliation with God
What are John Hicks views on Universalism?
- A liberal Christian theologian who accepts universalism
- Does not believe Jesus preached a God of judgement and exclusion
- Emphasises on NT Johns Gospel where the abundance of life is prevalent, Jesus’ resurrection is triumph of life over death
What does John Hick believe about hell?
What purpose does eternal damnation serve?
- Earthly existence is moral and spiritual education then hell would not make sense as continuation of the journey where a person strives for perfection
What does Karl Barth believe about Universalism?
- Calvinist Theologian
- Argues against simplistic God choosing either heaven or hell
- Election describes revelatory action of God where God acts freely from general to particular
- Both subject and object of election (Jesus) is both elector and elected
God as subject and elector?
- God in Christ elects to redeem all fallen humanity by dying and over-coming death on its behalf
God as object and elected?
- God in person of Jesus Christ reveals his friendliness towards humanity by entering into its fallen state and dying on the cross
Quote Barth on rejection of Universalism?
“I don’t believe in Universalism, but I do believe in Christ”
- Barth agrees we should not specular on mystery of salvation
- Christs friendliness and grace might restore us
- Rejected universalism as a principle of salvation, his own version is inclusive of all who are in Christ and at the end of time election can truly be known
