It's odd that many Calvinists call Arminians "semi-Pelagian," intending to convey that Arminians are sorta heretical, yet don't apply the same standard to their own position. True Calvinists were anathematized at the same council (Second Council of Orange) that rejected Pelagianism.
"We not only do not believe that any are foreordained to evil by the power of God, but even state with utter abhorrence that if there are those who want to believe so evil a thing, they are anathema." - Second Council of Orange
Do Calvinists really believe that some "are foreordained to evil by the power of God"? I'll let Calvin answer for himself. The quotes I've below come from Calvin's own writings.
"nothing is more absurd than to think anything at all is done but by the ordination of God." (Calvin's Institutes, book 1., chap. 16, sect. 3.)
"Every action and motion of every creature is so governed by the hidden counsel of God, that nothing can come to pass, but what was ordained by him." (Ibid., sect. 3.)
"The wills of men are so governed by the will of God, that they are carried on straight to the mark which he has fore-ordained." (Ibid., sect. 8.)
"I will not scruple to own that the will of God lays a necessity on all things, and that everything he wills necessarily comes to pass." (Calvin's Inst., b. 3, c. 24, sec. 8.)
On the fall of Adam: "He sinned because God so ordained, because the Lord saw good." (Calvin's Inst., b. 3, c. 24, sec. 8.)
"I confess it is a horrible decree; yet no one can deny but God foreknew Adam's fall, and therefore foreknew it, because he had ordained it so by his own decree." (Calv. Inst., b. 3, c. 23, sec. 7.)
"thieves, murderers, and other malefactors are God's instruments, which he uses to execute what he hath decreed in himself" (Calv. Inst., b. 1, c. 17, s. 5.)
For further reading check out my source for these quotes:
A Dialogue Between a Predestinarian and His Friend
The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., Volume 10, 1872, pp. 259-266
"It's odd that many Calvinists call Arminians 'semi-Pelagian', intending to convey that Arminians are sorta heretical, yet don't apply the same standard to their own position. True Calvinists were anathematized at the same council (Second Council of Orange) that rejected Pelagianism."
ReplyDeleteCalvinists are semi-Manichean. And that was condemned by a lot of councils. Plus, if you are going to count what is heresy and what is not by Catholic councils, you might as well include the ones that condemned the early Protestant reformers: the Council of Constance in 1414 that condemned John Huss, the Council of Worms in 1521 that condemned Martin Luther, the Council of Trent in 1561 that condemned all Protestants. These Calvinist beggars sure are choosy.
Excellent observations, Jose! They are choosy indeed.
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