Balancing Election and Evangelism in Christian Witness
The doctrine of election and its relationship to evangelism is a contested topic among Christian traditions. At its core, the debate revolves around how to balance the biblical teachings on God's sovereignty in salvation with the imperative to spread the Gospel to all people.
The Debate Framed
The disagreement centers on the interpretation of biblical passages that speak to God's election of certain individuals or groups for salvation, and how this relates to the universal call to repentance and faith. Different traditions have understood these concepts in distinct ways, leading to varying approaches to evangelism.
Position 1: Reformed Tradition
In the Reformed tradition, election is seen as a fundamental aspect of God's plan of salvation. According to John Calvin, the doctrine of election underscores the gratuitous nature of salvation, emphasizing that faith is a gift from God [1]. Charles Hodge further explains that believers are chosen to holiness, and that all good in them is a fruit of election, not its ground [2]. This perspective is rooted in passages like Ephesians 1:3-6, which speaks of believers being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. The Reformed tradition thus views evangelism as a means by which God's elect are called into the body of Christ.
Position 2: Catholic Tradition
The Catholic Church teaches that God's election is not contrary to human freedom. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes that Christ entrusted the apostles with the task of preaching the Gospel to all nations, and that this mission is ongoing in the Church [4]. While acknowledging the mystery of God's sovereignty in salvation, Catholic teaching emphasizes the importance of human cooperation with divine grace. This perspective is grounded in passages like Ezekiel 2:3 and Luke 1:38, which highlight the role of human response to God's call.
Position 3: Patristic Perspective
Early Church Fathers like Augustine also grappled with the relationship between election and evangelism. Augustine's writings suggest that the Christian teacher's duty is to teach what is right, refute error, and conciliate the hostile, all while recognizing that God's sovereignty is at work in the hearts of listeners [3]. This perspective emphasizes the importance of preaching and teaching as a means of fulfilling the Great Commission, while also acknowledging the mystery of God's election.
Shared Ground
Despite their differences, all three positions agree on the importance of evangelism and the proclamation of the Gospel. They also share a commitment to the authority of Scripture and the centrality of Christ in salvation. The imperative to spread the Gospel is rooted in passages like Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8, which are foundational to Christian mission.
Why Traditions Diverge
The divergence between traditions on this topic stems from differing hermeneutical commitments and prior doctrinal premises. The Reformed tradition tends to emphasize the sovereignty of God in salvation, while the Catholic tradition highlights the importance of human cooperation with divine grace. The Patristic perspective, meanwhile, underscores the importance of preaching and teaching in fulfilling the Great Commission. These differences in emphasis reflect fundamental aspects of each tradition's theology and shape their approaches to evangelism.
The interplay between election and evangelism remains a complex and contested issue in Christian theology. Understanding the various positions on this topic can foster greater appreciation for the richness and diversity of Christian thought, even as it highlights the ongoing need for careful biblical interpretation and theological reflection.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 79: example in Luke, when the Jews and Gentiles in common heard the discourse of Paul and Barnabas. Though they were all instructed in the same word, it is said, that “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed,” ( Acts 13:48 ). How can we deny that calling is gratuitous, when election alone reigns in it even to its conclusion? 3. Two errors are here to be avoided. Some make man a fellow-worker with God in such a sense, that man’s suffrage ratifies election, so that, according to them, the will of man is superior to the counsel ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 66: and just [u poses come from God, it is of Him, and not of us, that we seek and find his favour. Election is to Holiness. 4. Another plainly revealed fact is, that we are chosen to holiness; that we are created unto good works; in other words, that all good in us is the fruit, and, therefore, cannot by possibility be the ground of election. In Eph. i. 3-6 , the Apostle says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 4.--THEDUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN: TEACHER. 6. It is the duty, then, of the interpreter and teacher of Holy Scripture the defender of the true faith and the opponent of error, both to teach what is right and to refute what is wrong, and in the performance of this task to conciliate the hostile, to rouse the careless, and to tell the ignorant both what is occurring at present and what is probable in the future. But once that his hearers are friendly, attentive, and ready to learn, whether he has found them so, or has himself made them ”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 2 (part 6): in Ezek. 1, 7, 8: PL 76, 843D. 62 DV 10 # 3. Previous - NextCopyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText HelpCatechism of the Catholic Church IntraText - TextPART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITHSECTION ONE "I BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"CHAPTER TWO GOD COMES TO MEET MANArticle 2 THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATIONIN BRIEFPrevious - Next IN BRIEF 96 What Christ entrusted to the apostles, they in turn handed on by their preaching and writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to all generations, until ”