My name is Nicholas, I am a protestant, however I lean towards the Calvanist view in regards to Salvation. I wish to worship in a church where I can feel Comfortable with the preaching My question is therefore: Do Anglicans believe in Predestination ?? (Calvanism) Article 17 of the 39 Articles seems to indicate a yes. Blessings to all Nicholas
You will find Calvinists, Arminians, Lutherans, and probably even a few semi-Pelagians in Anglicanism. Are all of those views compatible with the article? No. Such is the breadth of Anglicanism. Local experience will vary.
The Anglican doctrine of predestination is set out in our commentaries and Articles of Religion, tracing its roots to the constant teachings of the church going back thousands of years. Your best bet would be to seek out our historic commentaries on this or any other controverted topics.
Article 17 I think the tradition view of Anglicans is that we do, however it is tempered by our acceptance of free will.
Thank you for your quick reply. Many passages in the bible point to the fact we don't have a free will when it comes to choosing to follow jesus.
Yet it is not a rigged game. We are here and we have real choices - free will. If we have no ability to choose then we cease to be moral beings. The doctrine of predestination is about the sovereinty of God - to take it to far id to destroy the true impetus when Jesus says Come to me
The real problem I have is that when I attempt to share my faith with non Christians, I find it difficult to explain to them how I overcame my blindness and deadness. In other words, by which special ability or power that I possess , that they do not?. (also John 6:44) I would be most grateful for a reply to the above and then I shall move on from this topic. Nicholas
It might be helpful for you to consider that even the advocates of free will teach that it's not a completely and utterly free will. It's never the case that we start on our road to salvation through some great effort of ours, but rather there always first comes the Grace of God which opens our eyes. That's the idea of Prevenient Grace. God is always the first and primary author of our salvation.