Quote Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr View Post
Given the individualistic manner in which Protestants treat the issue of salvation, I would disagree with this. It also displays too earthly a focus, since the body of the church is all the saints wherever they may be, that's why Catholics pray through the dead after all (yes I said 'through', not 'to', don't panic!).
Ah, but the Church can reasonably be said to be the felowship of God's servants. If the Catholic Church was ever just then it would follow that it was the earthly manifestation of this fellowship. It's proposed decline into depravity therefore constitutes an abandonment by God of the greater part of what should be the body of Christ. Since in Calvinistic theology the precise membership of said body is defined by God, that means he has allowed the Earthly manifestation of the body to rot. Further, the Roman Catholic Church must have once been the body of Christ, and the Pope it's Earthly head because he authorised the Biblical Canon, which ensured it was those books which Calvin asserted were infallable.

This is why Biblical infallability can ONLY be asserted by Roman Catholicism.

I don't understand what you mean by this? Why would only people blessed with the gift of prophecy be saved?
There is a reason Reformed Churches are smaller than other denominations; they contain only the Elect, and the Elect are God's special servents, his prophets and his servents on Earth. This is the horror of Calvinism, admitted by Calvin but denied today, Calvinism proposes a far less merciful and loving God.

Almost every branch of Christianity believes there are the elect, and the reprobate (man that word sounds harsh but it's what they use). The only difference is how they came to be that way, and for all a Calvinist knows the other person could be destined to be saved on their deathbed.
Actually, the words are praedestini (fore-chosen) and praesciti (fore-known) in Latin. Elect and Reprobate are Early Modern inventions and have no basis in the Latin theological language of the West.

Far from being totalitarian, Calvin actually argues extensively on the importance of 'liberty of conscience'. It was practically Cromwell's cathphrase and I've seen other figures like Edwards used it a lot as well. I do indeed believe everything takes place within the framework of God's providence, but that does not mean that people are not all rational actors. Also, with the Calvinistic understanding of human nature, surely it glorified God more than any other, since the regeneration that he grants is fully transformative, taking sin and making it into righteousness. As opposed to other understandings, in which God merely helps people along a bit, usually at thier own bidding.
"Liberty of Conciense" is only exercised after the application of Calvinistic Grace. It isn't relevent to the discussion we are having, therefore.