Determinism & Apocolypse: the Grim Irony of Our Fortunate Fall

[Joseph Tracy]

Yes these quotes are clearly drawn from gnostic language and thinking  
as is the whole Gospel of John. But Calvin's interpretation goes in a  
different direction. It would be virtually impossible to get to  
predestination from any place but Paul and the Phariseeic thinking he  
was rooted in. The OT has very little dogma and does not present an  
omniscient God, but Jews had a lot of time to think about the one God  
master of the universe implied in monotheism and how could a being  
who made everything not know everything?. I don't think the ancients  
were so literalist, but Calvin was. These different ways of thinking  
about the big picture do intertwine and the Bible reflects changes  
over time so that a preceptual thinker like Calvin has to reconcile  
contradictions and ends up with something more fundamentalist than  
mystical.
By the way I am enjoying this, reconsidering and using some knowledge  
that I have some experience with.
On Oct 2, 2009, at 4:34 PM, David Morris wrote:


> A couple other references to the rulership of this world by an evil  
> demigod:
>
> John 12:31
> Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will  
> be cast out.
>
> Acts 26:18
> to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and
> from the dominion of Satan to God