Voices and history¶
The question is older than the modern debate. This section surveys the early church, Arminius and the Remonstrants, Wesley and the holiness tradition, the modern exegetical case, the Free Grace controversy, and the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
The pages¶
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| The early church on apostasy | The apostolic fathers, the lapsed, the Greek fathers, Augustine, Orange. |
| Arminius and the Remonstrants | The five articles, Dort, and what Arminius actually taught. |
| Wesley and the holiness tradition | Assurance, perfection, and conditional perseverance. |
| Shank and Marshall | The two most important modern exegetical voices. |
| The Free Grace controversy | Hodges, Ryrie, MacArthur, and the Lordship debate. |
| Catholic and Orthodox perspectives | Mortal sin, theosis, and the possibility of falling away. |
A caution¶
History is corroboration, not proof. The fathers disagreed among themselves; the Reformation debates were shaped by controversy; the modern authors have their own systems. Read the texts first, and use history to see how others have read them.