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Predestination and election

In short
  • S11.1 Free choice universally affirmed; defended against fate and natures (high)
  • S11.2 Split in the fathers: Augustine’s unconditional election vs. the foreknowledge line (no T1 text verified); Scripture favours election by God’s purpose (Rom 9:11–16; Eph 1:5, 11); no double decree in either (medium)

From the study it came from: Agree that grace comes first; diverge on predestination, where the fathers were divided among themselves.

Two separate measures, shown side by side; neither is combined with the other (confidence-weighted, out of 4; counts show how many of this doctrine's 2 questions each rests on). This doctrine is second-order (tier weight 2). How scoring works · Scripture and tradition · Glossary · Every score with its citation

Closeness to Scripture

1 Catholic 88% 2/2 q
2 Lutheran 88% 2/2 q
3 Anglican 88% 2/2 q
4 Reformed Baptist 88% 2/2 q
5 General Baptist 88% 2/2 q
6 Orthodox 75% 2/2 q
7 Oriental Orthodox 75% 2/2 q
8 Presbyterian 75% 2/2 q
9 Anabaptist 75% 2/2 q

Closeness to the fathers

1 Orthodox 93% 2/2 q
2 Oriental Orthodox 93% 2/2 q
3 General Baptist 93% 2/2 q
4 Anabaptist 93% 2/2 q
5 Catholic 86% 2/2 q
6 Anglican 57% 2/2 q
7 Reformed Baptist 57% 2/2 q
8 Presbyterian 50% 2/2 q
9 Lutheran 39% 2/2 q
Charts: closeness to the fathers by question, and timeline
Closeness to the fathers, by question (0–4). Hatched = not assessed in the category file. Click a question for its verdict.
01234Catholic · S11.1: 4/4 — Listed under 'closest to the fathers on': S11.14Orthodox · S11.1: 4/4 — Listed under 'closest to the fathers on': S11.14Oriental Orthodox · S11.1: 4/4 — Free will strongly affirmed (to verify)4Lutheran · S11.1: 1/4 — Listed under 'departs or sharpens on': S11.1 (bondage of will) sharper than the fathers1Anglican · S11.1: 2/4 — Art. X: man 'cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength'2Presbyterian · S11.1: 2/4 — WCF IX.1 natural liberty; IX.3 total inability to spiritual good2Reformed Baptist · S11.1: 2/4 — 1689 9.3: 'wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good'2General Baptist · S11.1: 4/4 — SC 1660 art. 4: all men 'put into such a capacity, as that (through the grace of God) they may be eternally saved'4Anabaptist · S11.1: 4/4 — Dordrecht III/V: salvation offered to all; only the 'unbelieving and disobedient' excluded4S11.1conf. highCatholic · S11.2: 2/4 — Departs column says 'S3 mostly Augustinian': on a split question it follows one named patristic strand (Augustine) rather than departing from all of them2Orthodox · S11.2: 3/4 — Listed under 'closest to the fathers on': S11.2 (foreknowledge) (verdict is split; this follows one patristic strand)3Oriental Orthodox · S11.2: 3/4 — Election by foreknowledge (to verify)3Lutheran · S11.2: 3/4 — Listed under 'closest to the fathers on': S11.2 single (verdict is split; this follows one patristic strand)3Anglican · S11.2: 3/4 — Art. XVII: single predestination to life, 'by his counsel secret to us'3Presbyterian · S11.2: 2/4 — Listed under both 'closest' (S11.2 (A)) and 'departs or sharpens' (S11.2 double decree)2Reformed Baptist · S11.2: 3/4 — 1689 3.3: 'others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation' (preterition; no parallel decree)3General Baptist · S11.2: 3/4 — SC 1660 art. 8: elect are 'such as believe', yet election 'not ... from fore-seen faith'; art. 9 ungodly ordained to condemnation 'considered as such'3Anabaptist · S11.2: 3/4 — Dordrecht V: no one excluded 'except the unbelieving and disobedient'; no doctrine of decree3S11.2conf. medium
CatholicOrthodoxOriental OrthodoxLutheranAnglicanPresbyterianReformed BaptistGeneral BaptistAnabaptistnot assessed
When the cited witnesses spoke (approximate dates) and where later traditions fixed their positions. Filled dot = consensus question; hollow orange = a question on which the fathers varied. Each item links to its source note or post-750 note.
1002003004005006007001000125015001700post-750 (compressed)Justin Martyr (c. 155) · S11.1Justin Martyrc. 155 · S11.1Irenaeus (c. 180) · S11.1Irenaeusc. 180 · S11.1Augustine (c. 415) · S11.2Augustinec. 415 · S11.2Augustine (c. 415) · S11.2Augustinec. 415 · S11.2Trent VI (1547) · CatholicTrent VI1547 · CatholicFormula of Concord (1577) · LutheranFormula of Concord1577 · LutheranWestminster Confession (1646) · PresbyterianWestminster Confession1646 · PresbyterianConfession of Dositheus (1672) · OrthodoxConfession of Dositheus1672 · Orthodox
  1. c. 155 Justin Martyr S11.1
  2. c. 180 Irenaeus S11.1
  3. c. 415 Augustine S11.2 · fathers varied
  4. c. 415 Augustine S11.2 · fathers varied
  5. 1547 Trent VI Catholic
  6. 1577 Formula of Concord Lutheran
  7. 1646 Westminster Confession Presbyterian
  8. 1672 Confession of Dositheus Orthodox

S11 · Predestination and election

Unconditional or conditional; free choice.

Tier: Second-order (scoring weight 2). How the tiers were set: theological triage. Site structure: structure.

Questions

  • S11.1 Free choice (was salvation/S2)
  • S11.2 Election (was salvation/S3)

Verdicts and trace

S11.1 · Free choice

QuestionVerdictConfidenceReasoningKey sourcesScripture (benchmark)
S11.1Free choice universally affirmed; defended against fate and naturesHighS11.1.1 · S11.1.3 weighingjustin-martyr-sal-s1 · irenaeus-sal-s1S11.1.4: medium

S11.2 · Election

QuestionVerdictConfidenceReasoningKey sourcesScripture (benchmark)
S11.2Split in the fathers: Augustine’s unconditional election vs. the foreknowledge line (no T1 text verified); Scripture favours election by God’s purpose (Rom 9:11–16; Eph 1:5, 11); no double decree in eitherMediumS11.2.1 · S11.2.3 weighingaugustine-sal-s2 · augustine-sal-s3S11.2.4: medium

Post-750 development

Which of this doctrine’s questions each tradition stays closest to, or departs from. Each row links to the tradition’s notes.

TraditionClosest to the fathers onDeparts or sharpens on
CatholicS11.1S11.2 mostly Augustinian
OrthodoxS11.1; S11.2 (foreknowledge)—
Oriental OrthodoxS11.1; partly S11.2—
LutheranS11.2 singleS11.1 (bondage of will) sharper than the fathers
AnglicanS11.1; partly S11.2partly S11.1
PresbyterianS11.2 (A)S11.2 double decree
Reformed BaptistS11.1; partly S11.2partly S11.1
General BaptistS11.1; partly S11.2—
AnabaptistS11.1; partly S11.2—

Origin

Plan, overall verdict and verification status of the former salvation category (shared with the other doctrines that came from it)

Salvation: grace, free will, predestination, perseverance

Method and conventions: docs/conventions.md. Reasoning: salvation reasoning.

1. Plan

Questions: S1 grace and the beginning of faith; S2 free will; S3 predestination; S4 perseverance and assurance. The ground and form of justification are covered in justification and not repeated here. Sources: Justin, 1 Apol. 43; Irenaeus AH IV.37; Origen, De Principiis III.1; Cassian, Conf. 13; Augustine, Predestination of the Saints, Gift of Perseverance, Rebuke and Grace; Orange 529. Planned but not yet read: Prosper, Call of All Nations; Chrysostom on Rom 9; John of Damascus II.25–30; Gottschalk (post-750). Scripture: Rom 8–9; Eph 1–2; John 6, 10; Phil 1:6, 29; Heb 6:4–6; 1 Tim 2:4.

2. Verdicts and trace

Weighed under the source-proximity principle: Scripture first, then the father tiers T1–T4. Verdict changes are listed in docs/proximity-changes.md.

3. Post-750 development

4. Overall verdict

Catholic closest overall (Orange plus Trent canons 4 and 15–17 follow Augustine closely on S4). Lutheran is close on S1, S3 and S4. Orthodox is closest on S2 and the earlier S3 line. Presbyterian departs on S4 and on double predestination. Confidence: medium. S3 is split, and the Greek fathers are thinly verified.

5. Verification status

  • Verified: Justin, Irenaeus, Cassian, Augustine (3 works), Orange c. 5, Trent VI cc. 4 and 15–17, Dositheus 3, FC SD XI.8, WCF III.3 and XVII.1.
  • To verify: Origen III.1 detail and Comm. Rom. 8:29; the conclusion of Orange; Prosper; Chrysostom on Rom 9; John of Damascus II; Luther, Bondage of the Will; FC on the regenerate falling away; LSB English.