Predestination: In this context, predestination refers to the idea that God has ordained who should be saved and who should not before they were born. Some Calvinists will say that they are Single or Double Predestinarians. Single Predestinarians believe that God ordains the saved for redemption, but has no will regarding the fate of the damned. (I find this view to be logically impossible.)
Calvinism: The systematic theological framework advocating predestination formed by John Calvin in the 16th century during the early period of the Reformation. Calvin based much of his framework on the writings of Augustine of Hippo.
The Five Points of Calvinism: You may hear Reformed believers say how many points they embrace. For instance, a pastor might say “I’m a 4 and a half point Calvinist,” meaning he doesn’t agree with the full definition of one of the five points. The acronym TULIP is often used to refer to the five points …
- Total Depravity
- Unconditional Election
- Limited Atonement
- Irresistible Grace
- Perseverance of the Saints
Reformed Theology: Often used synonymously with Calvinism.
Arminianism: The theological framework which argues against predestination formed by Jacob Arminius in the late 16th century. It is the framework (roughly) that most conservative evangelical Christians hold to.
Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT): The view of hell that is expressed in the Westminster Confession (1646). “but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” (Chapter XXXIII, Of the Last Judgment)
Christian Universalism: Also referred to as Ultimate Restoration or Reconciliation (UR). The view that hell has a redemptive purpose, rather than simply punishment. Christian Universalism is not the same as Unitarian Universalism, which says that all people will be saved regardless of their religious beliefs. Christian Universalism advocates that post-mortem redemption is the means by which most people will come to know Christ and that the process of salvation is no different after death than before. Christian Universalists cite the mistranslations of the words “aionios kolasin”, which most English versions translate as “eternal punishment”, as one of the stronger arguments for the position. The words are literally translated “(redemptive) punishment of the age.” Then there are numerous passages which point to the ultimate reconciliation of all things. For more on this topic, see the links at the end of this page.
Annihilationism: The view that the souls of the wicked who perish will cease to exist at some point in the future. Also known as Conditionalism. While this view has picked up steam in recent years, I personally find it to present a defeated and ultimately eternally sad God and reality. It does little to rectify the innumerable horrors which so many endure in this life.