I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE

A few months ago, I began to read more about the Protestant Reformation and men like Wycliffe and Hus who preceded theologians like Luther and Calvin and I began to wonder why none of the Fundies, political or otherwise, haven't brought up the issue of Predestination?  For convenience, I went to the Encyclopedia Britannica for some help with the defintion and I found a nice summary of what I assume to be the 3 main Christian views:

Three types of predestination doctrine, with many variations, have developed.


- One notion (associated with Semi-Pelagianism, some forms of nominalism, and Arminianism) makes foreknowledge the ground of predestination and teaches that God predestined to salvation those whose future faith and merits he foreknew.


- At the opposite extreme is the notion of double predestination, commonly identified with John Calvin and especially associated with the Synod of Dort and appearing also in some of the writings of St. Augustine and Martin Luther and in the thought of the Jansenists. According to this notion, God has determined from eternity whom he will save and whom he will damn, regardless of their faith, love, or merit, or lack thereof.


- A third notion was set forth in other writings of St. Augustine and Luther, in the decrees of the second Council of Orange (529), and in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. It ascribes the salvation of man to the unmerited grace of God and thus to predestination, but it attributes divine reprobation to man’s sin and guilt.

This and other theological issues may be making an appearance soon at a presidential debate, it this AP story is correct:

A hot issue on the campaign trail: theology
By RACHEL ZOLL - AP Religion Writer | AP – 19 hrs ago