"He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world..." Among the traditional tenets of the Christian faith is the belief that God chooses or elects people for salvation. For some Christians, such an affirmation is an indication of God's sovereign and perfect will. For others, such a notion is troubling for it seems to downplay the significance of human agency and choice. Throughout the church's history, Christians have sought to understand the meaning of relevant biblical texts and debated this theological conundrum. With care and insight, theologian Mark Lindsay surveys the development of the Christian doctrine of election. After exploring Scripture on this theme, he turns to the various articulations of this doctrine from the early church fathers, including Augustine, and medieval theologians such as Aquinas, to John Calvin's view, the subsequent debate between Calvinists and Arminians, Karl Barth's modern reconception of the doctrine, and reflections on election in the shadow of the Holocaust. On this journey through the Bible and church history, readers will discover how Christians have understood the affirmation that God has chosen.
"In this fine study, Mark Lindsay moves at pace and with sharp insight over the complex historical-theological terrain required for us to understand the doctrine of election in its long and contested development to the present day. The lucid discussion that results illumines how this doctrine can be considered the very sum of the gospel by its proponents but impious speculation by its detractors, old and new. The closing exploration of the meaning of the doctrine for Christian-Jewish encounter in the shadow of the Holocaust confronts us with questions whose theological importance simply cannot be denied."
Philip G. Ziegler, professor of Christian dogmatics, University of Aberdeen
