Your statement that the Marburg Colloquy "failed to reconcile the two leaders" is something of an understatement. Luther rejected Zwingli as a heretic and to this day there is no altar and pulpit fellowship between confessional Lutherans and the Reformed.

You also overstate the commonality between Luther and the Reformed on predestination. Confessional Lutheranism does not teach predestination as defined by "five-point Calvinism", and shouldn't be treated as if it were a variety of Reformed.
Chris Jones | 08.03.05 - 1:47 pm | #

Not to mention, a lack of belief in wholesale predestination does not equate to a belief in or agreement with Arminianism, which on several points was definitely a heresy. Reading various historical writings, I also consider "Hyper-Calvinism" to BE the ORIGINAL Calvinism.
Gumpngreen | 08.03.05 - 2:58 pm | #

Zwingli is my hero. Except that I've preached about the dangers of hero-worship from 1 Cor ....
Paul and/or Liz | Homepage | 08.10.05 - 7:20 am | #

"Reading various historical writings, I also consider 'Hyper-Calvinism' to BE the ORIGINAL Calvinism."
I'd be interested in some documentation to that end.
Brett | Homepage | 08.13.05 - 8:58 am | #

Luther wasn't a pre-destinarian as far as I know. He simply affirmed the complete and total soverignty of God. In Luther's view we can do NOTHING to save ourselves. He never went into the whole "elect" issue. (if I recall correctly).
Jamison | Homepage | 08.22.05 - 11:43 am | #

While I strongly believe in predestination and the 5 points, and while I am part Jewish by birth raised as a gentile from 3 months, I make a defense here of true religion as opposed to Covenant Theology, and Augusinianism. I urge anyone who wants more discussion to visit my website forum or email me with questions or comments:

Virtually all covenant theologians believe in law preaching as a means of bringing men to saving conviction. Virtually all covenant theologians are Augustinians. Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk. John Calvin quotes Augustine extensively in his Institutes of the Christian Religion in his defense of Covenant Theology. Augustine rose up as the apologist for the Constantinian sacral church/state movement in the 4th century. Augustine was the preeminent sacralist theologian of his time and for all time.

Covenant Theology by definition is a major systematic misuse of the law of Moses. It is the theological system that is responsible for the crusades, for all manner of "holy wars", for religious oppression widespread, for the murder of political leaders who were also sacralists, for Protestant and Catholic persecution of true religion.

The law of Moses is not a schoolmaster to convict men of sin, as interpreted by the Augustinians. The law was a schoolmaster to the Old Covenant saints, teaching them that Christ was true according to the types and shadows revealed to them. Galatians 3:23-25 is one of the most misunderstood scriptures there is. It is a historical scripture showing the advancement of history from one covenant to another. Covenant Theology's interpretation totally annuls Paul saying he was determined to know nothing but the gospel to the Gentiles. How could that be if they needed a "schoolmaster" according to the definition of historic Augustinians?

Calvin and other Augustinians used a false internal introspection to count as a "law conviction". They used the scripture, "examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith" and applied it to UNBELIEVERS, when clearly, Paul applied it to believers. The conviction of the Spirit is quick, it is a cutting of the spiritual nature, and it is completely effective, as we see in Acts chapter 2. We don't see a long drawn out false introspection with the results of the gospel! That is why I view Covenant Theology as being no better than dispensationalism. It is my view that these will be avoided ultimately, by the elect.
Gary D Anderson | Homepage | 09.01.05 - 12:36 pm | #