Augustine's Treatise On Predestination And Influence On Reformed Theology

[kiriath_jearim]

Here's a link to Augustine's A Treatise On The Predestination of the Saints :

Augustine

I note very little mention of Augustine's influence in current evangelical and Baptist circles. Has his theological influence diminished or was it merely conveyed to us via Luther and Calvin?

 

[Calvibaptist]

Originally posted by kiriath_jearim:
Here's a link to Augustine's A Treatise On The Predestination of the Saints :

Augustine

I note very little mention of Augustine's influence in current evangelical and Baptist circles. Has his theological influence diminished or was it merely conveyed to us via Luther and Calvin?

From my limited knowledge and experience, I would say that Calvinistic Baptists would point to Augustine as a tremendous influence.

However, there are some major caveats. Roman Catholics, while denying Augustine's view of the nature of man and predestination, love his view of the church. They would point to him as one of their greatest theologians. For this reason, I think most Baptists are reluctant to point to the influence of Augustine. We like to stay away from anything that sounds Roman Catholic. (except, of course, for free-will salvation, which is very Roman Catholic).

 

[Rippon]

Augustine was sound on soteriology and unsound on the nature of the church . Many Presbyterians would agree .

If Arminians here want to look at some free will beliefs Augustine wrote from that perspective for a while . Of course in his retractions he took it all back -- and you could tell when he went against Pelagius .

 

[Ransom]

kiriath_jearim said:

I note very little mention of Augustine's influence in current evangelical and Baptist circles. Has his theological influence diminished or was it merely conveyed to us via Luther and Calvin?

The vast majority of evangelicals and Baptists have never read Augustine, or if they have, their experience was limited to the Confessions rather than his theological and polemic works. You're probably right that the influence of Augustine is channeled through other theologians.