Janean,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

I really enjoyed reading your response. You have a way of explaining your position while extending an olive branch and a warm invitation to consider your findings. This is a a work of grace I pray someday God will effect in me. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/yep.gif" alt="" />

I have felt the same resonation of truth in learning about 5 point Calvinism, and Romans 8:29,30 (the Reader's Digest of TULIP) confirms irrefutable the entire body of theology for me.

But beyond the 5 points, Calvinist doctrine becomes extreme and out of touch with the spirit and letter of scripture, particulary in the dogmatics about reprobation and free will.

To put things in perspective, John Calvin is not the author of Calvinism or any particular theology. He had a passion for expounding on only the Bible and all of the Bible. His discourse on the sovereinty of God came later in his ministry and in response to attacks on this doctrine. But his exposition on it was relatively brief.

His followers, however developed what is today called "Calvinism." Some of this was brilliant, such as the assembly of TULIP, but some of it really stretched the theology of John Calvin's teachings. I've been told by members here that I cannot use any of Calvinism, unless I embrace all of it, including tota scriptura, which I believe to be in error.

But much like yourself, (if I may be bold in assuming) I am amazed that God chose us before He even created the world, and loved us though there was nothing loveable about us, and will bring to the ultimate redemption through the storms of Satan's reign, the acts of men and angels, and even our own stubborn "free will". And as I have thoroughly studied this doctrine, I've found it does not contradict Catholic teaching, it transcends it. And Catholic teaching affirms it in its own way. I hope someday to write a post explaining this correlation.

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior who alone is wise be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen." Jude 24,25

catholicsoldier <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/takethat.gif" alt="" />