I started reading a small book on the five points of Calvinism the other day. It's quite a good book, and more will follow, when I think about it more. I was a Calvinist before, (yes, even before David McCarthy tried to convert me to it), but now I'm seeing it all better fit together.
One thing that struck me on reading it was the quote on the Church of England (which would probably suit the Church of Ireland too): 'a Romanist ritual, Calvinist articles and Arminian clergy'.
So what is Calvinism? It is a doctrine that certainly didn't start with Calvin - Augustine was a proponent of this system of thinking. It looks at soterology (the doctrine of salvation), and attributes all the glory and initiative of salvation to God Almighty. It does this by setting out the five points:
Total depravity of man
Unconditional election
Limited Atonement
Irresistable grace
Perseverance of the saints
They are also known as the TULIP principles (due to the first letters) - and I will go into a bit more detail on them when I have finished the book. I am fully expecting a bit of a challenge on them from George - bring it on!
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