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To me, when I hear you say that "double predestination is a belief held by the Protestant Reformed Church denomination" all sorts of protests come up. Not that you are wrong about the Protestant Reformed Church denomination, but that we all (Reformed/Calvinists) believe in it, even if only by logical implication. To me, if God is sovereign, then all that plays out, regardless of how, is a result of his intent-full creation, and there is no getting around it. But YES to the fact that, as many protesters say, the damnation of the lost is not God's PRIMARY reason for creating them. But much of the debate is so noisy as it is, because of the care people want to take to protect God from false accusations as to his intent toward man.Calvinism is not monolithic. Calvinism is a theological movement that originated in the 16th century, and there are various interpretations and denominations that fall under the umbrella of Calvinism, such as Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and Reformed Churches. These different denominations may hold slightly different beliefs, practices, and interpretations of Calvinist theology. So, while they share certain core beliefs, they are not all identical in their beliefs or practices.
In my reading it seems that double predestination is a belief held by the Protestant Reformed Church denomination. It is the belief that God has predetermined both salvation for the elect and damnation for the non-elect, based on his own sovereignty and not on any human merit or choice.
The Protestant Reformed Church denomination was founded by the Dutch theologian and pastor, Herman Bavinck. He was a key figure in the development of Reformed theology in the Netherlands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bavinck's extensive writings and preaching helped to shape the distinctive character of the Protestant Reformed Church and its commitment to the teachings of the Bible and the Five Points of Calvinism.Herman Hoeksema was a Dutch-American theologian and pastor who played a major role in the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the United States. Hoeksema was a disciple of Herman Bavinck and became a leading figure in the Dutch Reformed community, where he was known for his uncompromising stance on the sovereignty of God and his emphasis on the Five Points of Calvinism. He was also a key figure in the split of the Protestant Reformed Churches from the Christian Reformed Church in the early 20th century.Herman Hoeksema was a prolific writer and theologian, and he authored several books on Reformed theology and the Bible. Some of his most notable works include:
- "Reformed Dogmatics"
- "Behold, He Cometh!: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation"
- "The Triple Knowledge"
- "The Voice of Our Fathers: A Fresh Look at the Canons of Dordt"
- "Belgic Confession: A Study"
- "Why Protestantism?"
These works continue to be widely read and highly regarded by members of the Protestant Reformed Church denomination and other Calvinist Christians.His works are a significant influence on the main Reformed denomination in the area where I live - it is called "The Free Reformed Church" of Australia.These denominations are part of the background from which I write about Calvinism. Yet I acknowledge that these denominations hold views that other reformed denominations do not. It is always very difficult to deal with Protestant beliefs, including Calvinist beliefs, because of the wide variety of interpretations present in the movements one wishes to investigate.
From a Catholic perspective, the belief in double predestination (the idea that God has predetermined who will be saved and who will be damned) is considered to be at odds with the Catholic understanding of God's love and mercy for all people. The Catholic Church teaches that God's grace is freely offered to all and that individuals have the free will to accept or reject it. While Catholics respect each individual's beliefs, they respectfully disagree with the idea of double predestination and believe in a God who offers salvation to all.
I have to say, that particularly in your last paragraph, the 'Self-Determination' that to me is common to maybe all non-Reformed/non-Calvinist denominations/sects is visible here in your description of Catholics' take on 'double-predestination'. (I say 'Self-Determination' because that seems to be the most consistent problem with the several points of view —too 'natural man' a feel for my comfort.)
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