Reformed Church in History

[JM]

I think it was B. B. Warfield that stated something to the effect, 'it was Augustine who started the reformation.' Where else do we find distinctly reformed views in the works of the early Church fathers? Augustine has been our champion, who else is on the list?

 

[Irishcat922]

Lorraine Boettner on the History of Calvnism​

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BEFORE THE REFORMATION​

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It may occasion some surprise to discover that the doctrine of Predestination was not made a matter of special study until near the end of the fourth century. The earlier church fathers placed chief emphasis on good works such as faith, repentance, almsgiving, prayers, submission to baptism, etc., as the basis of salvation. They of course taught that salvation was through Christ; yet they assumed that man had full power to accept or reject the gospel. Some of their writings contain passages in which the sovereignty of God is recognized; yet along side of those are others which teach the absolute freedom of the human will. Since they could not reconcile the two they would have denied the doctrine of Predestination and perhaps also that of God's absolute Foreknowledge. They taught a kind of synergism in which there was a co-operation between grace and free will. It was hard for man to give up the idea that he could work out his own salvation. But at last, as a result of a long, slow process, he came to the great truth that salvation is a sovereign gift which has been bestowed irrespective of merit; that it was fixed in eternity; and that God is the author in all of its stages. This cardinal truth of Christianity was first clearly seen by Augustine, the great Spirit-filled theologian of the West. In his doctrines of sin and grace, he went far beyond the earlier theologians, taught an unconditional election of grace, and restricted the purposes of redemption to the definite circle of the elect. It will not be denied by anyone acquainted with Church History that Augustine was an eminently great and good man, and that his labors and writings contributed more to the promotion of sound doctrine and the revival of true religion than did those of any other man between Paul and Luther.

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Prior to Augustine's day the time had been largely taken up in correcting heresies within the Church and in refuting attacks from the pagan world in which it found itself. Consequently but little emphasis had been placed on the systematic development of doctrine. And that the doctrine of Predestination received such little attention in this age was no doubt partly due to the tendency to confuse it with the Pagan doctrine of Fatalism which was so prevalent throughout the Roman Empire. But in the fourth century a more settled time had been reached, a new era in theology had dawned, and the theologians came to place more emphasis on the doctrinal content of their message. Augustine was led to develop his doctrines of sin and grace partly through his own personal experience in being converted to Christianity from a worldly life, and partly through the necessity of refuting the teaching of Pelagius, who taught that man in his natural state had full ability to work out his own salvation, that Adam's fall had but little effect on the race except that it set a bad example which is perpetuated, that Christ's life is of value to men mainly by way of example, that in His death Christ was little more than the first Christian martyr, and that we are not under any special providence of God. Against these views Augustine developed the very opposite. He taught that the whole race fell in Adam, that all men by nature are depraved and spiritually dead, that the will is free to sin but not free to do good toward God, that Christ suffered vicariously for His people, that God elects whom He will irrespective of their merits, and that saving grace is efficaciously applied to the elect by the Holy Spirit. He thus became the first true interpreter of Paul and was successful in securing the acceptance of his doctrine by the Church.

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Following Augustine there was retrogression rather than progress. Clouds of ignorance blinded the people. The Church became more and more ritualistic and salvation was thought to be through the external Church. The system of merit grew until it reached its climax in the "indulgences." The papacy came to exert great power, political as well as ecclesiastical, and throughout Catholic Europe the state of morals came to be almost intolerable. Even the priesthood became desperately corrupt and in the whole catalogue of human sins and vices none are more corrupt or more offensive than those which soiled the lives of such popes as John XXIII and Alexander VI.

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From the time of Augustine until the time of the Reformation very little emphasis was placed on the doctrine of Predestination. We shall mention only two names from this period: Gottschalk, who was imprisoned and condemned for teaching Predestination; and Wycliffe, "The Morning Star of the Reformation," who lived in England. Wycliffe was a reformer of the Calvinistic type, proclaiming the absolute sovereignty of God and the Foreordination of all things. His system of belief was very similar to that which was later taught by Luther and Calvin. The Waldensians also might be mentioned for they were in a sense "Calvinists" before the Reformation, one of their tenets being that of Predestination.



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[JM]

That was great, to use the thought of Ryrie, 'belief has to be biblical, not historical.'

 

[ClementofRome]

That was great, to use the thought of Ryrie, 'belief has to be biblical, not historical.'

Not exactly on topic, but my signature below gives me hope and strength.

 

[JM]

Your sig sums up my belief as well. I've never read Calvin in anything other then scattered quotes and then only a few.

 

[ClementofRome]

Your sig sums up my belief as well. I've never read Calvin in anything other then scattered quotes and then only a few.

George Whitefield was a great of both the early American "revival" movement and a great reformed Christian. He is inspiring to read. He had zeal and enthusiasm like I only dream about. John Wesley was a great man, but he had his hands full with his fellow "Oxford Methodist!"

 

[BBAS 64]

I think it was B. B. Warfield that stated something to the effect, 'it was Augustine who started the reformation.' Where else do we find distinctly reformed views in the works of the early Church fathers? Augustine has been our champion, who else is on the list?

Good Day, SP

Hope you and yours are well. If one is to belive that the doctrine of Faith Alone was the primary call of the reformation back to the biblical fiath then I sumit Clement of Rome from the 1st century:

And we who through his will have been called in Christ Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, or through our wisdom or understanding or godliness, or the works that we have done in holiness of heart, but by faith, by which all men from the beginning have been justified by Almighty God, to whom be glory world without end. Amen. What, then, shall we do, brethren? Shall we cease from well-doing, and abandon charity? May the Master never allow that this should happen to us! but let us rather with diligence and zeal hasten to fulfil every good work. For the Maker and Lord of all things rejoiceth in his works. By his supreme power he founded the heavens, and by his incomprehensible understanding he ordered them. The earth he separated from the water that surrounded it, and fixed it on the firm foundation of his own will. The animals which inhabit therein he commanded to be by his ordinance. Having made beforehand the sea and the animals that are therein, he shut them in by his own power. Man, the most excellent of all animals, infinite in faculty, he moulded with his holy and faultless hands, in the impress of his likeness. For thus saith God: Let us make man in our own image, and after our own likeness. And God made man. Male and female made he them. When, therefore, he had finished all things, he praised and blessed them, and said, Be fruitful, and multiply. Let us see, therefore, how all the just have been adorned with good works. Yea, the Lord himself rejoiced when he had adorned himself with his works. Having, therefore, this example, let us come in without shrinking to his will; let us work with all our strength the work of righteousness." (32-33)

And also Chrysostom:

But after saying that 'it was excluded,' he shows also, how. How then does he say it was excluded? 'By what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.' See he calls the faith also a law delighting to keep to the names, and so allay the seeming novelty. But what is the 'law of faith?' It is, being saved by grace. Here he shows God's power, in that He has not only saved, but has even justified, and led them to boasting, and this too without needing works, but looking for faith only." (Homilies on Romans, 7, v. 27)

Polycarp:

'by grace ye are saved, not of works,' but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.... (Epistle to the Philippians, 1, 5, 8)

Peace to u,

Bill

 

[ClementofRome]

<<<ClementofRome grins greatly at the quotation from Clement of Rome above>>

 

[JM]

I read a book last night by Berkhof (can't remember the title) but it stated something to the effect, the Church Fathers said very little on doctrine and dogma. They used Biblical words and referances and believed what we believe today without explaining the problems that come from ideas such as the Trinity, etc. Elements of pagan moralism started to show up and the Fathers didn't have a full canon or time to digest what was in the canon which lead to, in a small way at first, including moralism into Christian teaching. Pagan ideas of ceramonialism also crept in latter which may explain the return to ceramony after the Apostolic Fathers Era 100 - 170 A.D. It wasn't until Augustine that a 'first Reformation' happened. He wanted a clear understanding of dogma and explain doctrine that was in line with 'o'rthodox Christian teaching of Tertullian, Gregory I and Jerome who did not use a synthesis of pagan teaching. (Like those in the East: Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr and Origen)

It's a great topic and I hope to learn more.

SP