predestination
/priːˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
(In Christian theology) the doctrine that God has ordained all that will happen, especially with regard to the salvation of some and not others. It has been particularly associated with the teachings of St Augustine of Hippo and of Calvin.As we study today's text, it's tempting to invest the majority of our time dealing with the theological issue of predestination....
- The first two doctrines, predestination and the bondage of the fallen human will, had been stressed by strongly Augustinian reformers in the past and came as no surprise to Catholic opponents of the Reformation.
- Augustine's critics fastened on the evident fact that his doctrine of predestination appealed to a partial selection of texts in scripture and had to use force on other texts which did not fit his thesis.
Origin
Middle English: from ecclesiastical Latin praedestinatio(n-), from praedestinare 'make firm beforehand' (see predestinate).