Before there were Lutherians and Calvinists, there were was the Reformed views. It was the early way of showing a group of people who held to similar (though not specifically exact) views. Thus from Reformed theology you eventually had a divide of Lutherians (who are closer to Amyraldianism or 4 pointers) and Calvinists. Many of the early Reformers, who are noted as such (early Reformed Theologians), held to some differing views on Atonement (U and L), though all held to total depravity, scripture alone, God alone, Election, the call of God toward the sinner, justification by faith alone, perseverence/preservence of the Saints, as well as the rejection of the bodilly presense of Christ in the sacriments. Some definitions in the above might have some modification but for all intents and purposes they were much the same.
Thus Reformed Views, include Calvinism, but it was not historically understood as Calvinism, at least not initially. In fact, in is interesting to note that it was the Lutherians who first came up with the name Calvinists as a perjoritive. Another interesting factiod is that there is a theological view known as the Reformed Arminian view, which is much akin to Amyraldianism but with more emphasis on man's responsibility.
Last edited by a moderator:
