Children of Pelagius: A History of the Doctrine of Election

I. A Brief History of the Doctrine of Predestination
1. Augustine against Pelagius: double-predestination
2. The Council of Orange, 529: Pelagius repudiated
3. Luther and Calvin: Augustinianism affirmed
4. Arminianism: the "Semi-Augustinian" Remonstrance, 1610
5. Calvinist TULIPism: the Synod of Dort, 1619
6. The Westminster Confession, 1647: TULIP enshrined
7. Dissatisfaction with predestination
8. Barth: Jesus is the elect one
9. What happened to Israel?

II. Election in Scripture: Not Quite Arminian, Not Quite Calvinist
God's chosen people, Israel
Observations on TULIPism:

1. Election blesses others
2. Election favors the weak
3. Election is asymmetrical

Reprobation as a Means of Salvation

1. Jacob v. Esau
2. Pharaoh v. Moses
3. Jesus v. Iscariot

III. From Jesus to Mary: Annunciation as Election
Mary personifies Israel
Mary personifies the Church
Immaculate conception as predestination?

Mary as the "burning bush" (Ex. 3)

IV. Magnify the Lord: Re-forming Election

Annunciation/Magnificat as models for celebrating election (Luke 1:46-55)

A Marian "TULIP":

Total human capacity for receiving God's free gifts of redemption
Unmerited divine favor and mercies on the humble and excluded
Sufficiency of God's saving acts in Christ
Unrivalled power of God's mercy to accomplish his purpose
Eternal faithfulness in fulfilling God's covenant promises