Calvinism in the Early Church

JM

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I'll admit there is nothing like systemized theology in the Early Church Fathers but you can see the early Church struggling to discern, in fragments, the biblical doctrines we now call "Calvinism." Here is a source worth reading.

"There are a number of websites (some quite terrible, others a bit scholarly, yet equally terrible) that attempt to dissuade investigative readers to believe that, except for Augustine, or at least until the “time of Augustine”, that the early church did not believe in the depravity of man, in unconditional election and/or a sovereign predestination, a limited atonement in extent of Jesus Christ, grace that is irresistible, and the final perseverance of the saints. This is a tragedy. Why? With a hearty consulting of primary sources, readers can certainly find the “infant stages” of all these Gospel doctrines throughout the writings of the early church. And not only these can be found in “infant stages” but they can be found quite specifically in many of the early writers."

Yours in the Lord,

jm
 

Oldmantook

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I'll admit there is nothing like systemized theology in the Early Church Fathers but you can see the early Church struggling to discern, in fragments, the biblical doctrines we now call "Calvinism." Here is a source worth reading.

"There are a number of websites (some quite terrible, others a bit scholarly, yet equally terrible) that attempt to dissuade investigative readers to believe that, except for Augustine, or at least until the “time of Augustine”, that the early church did not believe in the depravity of man, in unconditional election and/or a sovereign predestination, a limited atonement in extent of Jesus Christ, grace that is irresistible, and the final perseverance of the saints. This is a tragedy. Why? With a hearty consulting of primary sources, readers can certainly find the “infant stages” of all these Gospel doctrines throughout the writings of the early church. And not only these can be found in “infant stages” but they can be found quite specifically in many of the early writers."

Yours in the Lord,

jm
Not discounting their keen intellect, but nonetheless the early church fathers were like the rest of us, fallible humans meaning they were right on some things and wrong on others.
 
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redleghunter

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I'll admit there is nothing like systemized theology in the Early Church Fathers but you can see the early Church struggling to discern, in fragments, the biblical doctrines we now call "Calvinism." Here is a source worth reading.

"There are a number of websites (some quite terrible, others a bit scholarly, yet equally terrible) that attempt to dissuade investigative readers to believe that, except for Augustine, or at least until the “time of Augustine”, that the early church did not believe in the depravity of man, in unconditional election and/or a sovereign predestination, a limited atonement in extent of Jesus Christ, grace that is irresistible, and the final perseverance of the saints. This is a tragedy. Why? With a hearty consulting of primary sources, readers can certainly find the “infant stages” of all these Gospel doctrines throughout the writings of the early church. And not only these can be found in “infant stages” but they can be found quite specifically in many of the early writers."

Yours in the Lord,

jm
Thanks for this post. I am familiar with the linked site. Unfortunately, if one does not have direct access to the scholarly sources quoted (which some translated directly from Latin manuscripts), then the Google oriented will brush off the quotes. For example if you take some of the quoted doctors and church fathers at the link, do a Google search you may get some books quoting it but no direct sources aka the New Advent site which has English translations. Also the references to the various works will usually turn up not to be found in those works for some reason.
 
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