| TheFive Points ofCalvinism |
|---|
 |
| (TULIP) |
| Total depravity |
| Unconditional election |
| Limited atonement |
| Irresistible grace |
| Perseverance of the saints |
| Conditional election |
|---|
| Unlimited atonement |
| Total depravity |
| Prevenient grace |
| Conditional preservation |
Total depravity (also calledradical corruption[1] orpervasive depravity) is a Protestanttheologicaldoctrine derived from the concept oforiginal sin. It teaches that, as a consequence ofthe Fall, every person born into the world is enslaved to the service ofsin as a result of their fallen nature and, apart from theefficacious (irresistible) orprevenient (enabling)grace of God, is completely unable to choose by themselves to followGod, refrain fromevil, or accept the gift ofsalvation as it is offered.
The doctrine is advocated to various degrees by manyProtestant denominations, includingLutheranism[2][3][4] and allCalvinist churches.[5][6][7][8]Arminian denominations, such asMethodists, believe and teach total depravity, but with distinct differences,[9][10] the most important of which is the distinction betweenirresistible grace andprevenient grace.[11]
Augustine of Hippo argued that, since the Fall, all humanity is in a self-imposed bondage to sin. All people are inescapably predisposed to evil prior to making any actual choice, and are unable to refrain from sin.[12]Free will is not taken away in the sense of the ability to choose between alternatives, but people are unable to make these choices in service to God rather than self.[13]Thomas Aquinas also taught that people are not able to avoid sin after the Fall, and that this entailed a loss oforiginal righteousness or sinlessness, as well asconcupiscence or selfish desire.Duns Scotus, however, modified this interpretation, and only believed that sin entailed a lack of original righteousness. During theProtestant Reformation, the Reformers took Scotus's position to be the Catholic position and argued that it made sin only a defect or privation of righteousness rather than an inclination toward evil.Martin Luther,John Calvin and other Reformers used the term "total depravity" to articulate what they claimed to be the Augustinian view that sin corrupts the entire human nature.[14] This did not, however, mean the loss of theimago Dei (image of God). The only theologian who argued that theimago Dei itself was taken away and that the very substance of fallen humanity was sin wasMatthias Flacius Illyricus, and this view was repudiated in theFormula of Concord.[15]
John Calvin used terms like "total depravity" to mean that, despite the ability of people to outwardly uphold thelaw, there remained an inward distortion which makes all human actions displeasing to God, whether or not they are outwardly good or bad.[15] Even afterregeneration, every human action is mixed with evil.[16] Later Calvinist theologians were agreed on this, but the language of theCanons of Dort as well as the 17th century Reformed theologians which followed it did not repeat the language of "total depravity", and arguably offer a more moderate view on the state of fallen humanity than Calvin.[15]
Arminianism also accepts a doctrine of total depravity, although not identical to the Calvinist position. Total depravity was affirmed by theFive articles of Remonstrance, byJacobus Arminius himself, and byJohn Wesley, who strongly identified with Arminius through publication of his periodicalThe Arminian and also advocated a strong doctrine of inability.[17]The Methodist Quarterly Review states that:
It is not sufficiently known, we opine, that Methodists—the genuine Arminians of the present—do not entirely agree with this view of depravity. To what has been said, as being the Calvinist view of the total depravity of our nature, we do heartily assent, with the following exceptions:—First. We do not think that all mencontinue totally depraved until their regeneration. Secondly. We think man,under the atonement, is not, properly speaking, in a state of nature. He is not left to the unalleviated evils of total depravity. The atonement has not only secured gracefor him, but a measurein him, by virtue of which he not only has moral light, but is often incited to good desires, and well-intended efforts to do what is perceived to be the divine will.[10]
Some Reformed theologians have mistakenly used the term "Arminianism" to include some who hold theSemipelagian doctrine oflimited depravity, which allows for an "island of righteousness" in human hearts that is uncorrupted by sin and able to accept God's offer of salvation without a special dispensation of grace.[18] Although Arminius and Wesley both vehemently rejected this view, it has sometimes inaccurately been lumped together with theirs (particularly by Calvinists) because of other similarities between their respective systems such asconditional election,unlimited atonement, and prevenient grace. In particular, prevenient grace is viewed by some as giving humans back the freedom to follow God in one way or another.
Reformed and Lutheran theologians have never considered humans to be absent of goodness or unable to do good outwardly as a result of the fall. People retain theimago Dei, though it has been distorted.[15]
Total depravity is the fallen state of human beings as a result of original sin. The doctrine of total depravity asserts that people are, as a result of the fall, not inclined or even able to love God wholly with heart, mind, and strength, but rather are inclined by nature to serve their own will and desires and reject his rule. Even religion andphilanthropy are wicked to God because they originate from a selfish human desire and are not done to the glory of God. Therefore, inReformed theology, if God is to save anyone, he mustpredestine, elect, regenerate and call individuals to salvation since fallen humanity does not want to, and is indeed incapable of, choosing him.[19] However, in Arminian theologyprevenient grace (or "enabling grace") does reach through total depravity to enable people to respond to the salvation offered by God in Jesus Christ.
Total depravity does not mean that people have lost part of their humanity or areontologically deteriorated. Just as Adam and Eve were created with the ability not to sin, people retain that essential ability either to sin or not to sin, even though some properties of their humanity are corrupted.[20] It also does not mean that people are as evil as possible. Rather, it means that even the good which a person may intend is faulty in its premise, false in its motive, and weak in its implementation; and there is no mere refinement of natural capacities that can correct this condition. Thus, even acts of generosity and altruism are in factegoist acts in disguise. All good, consequently, is derived from God alone, and in no way through humanity.[21]
TheRoman Catholic Church maintains that a person cannot, "be justified before God by his own works, ... without the grace of God through Jesus Christ",[22] thereby rejectingPelagianism in accordance with the writings of Augustine and theSecond Council of Orange (529).[23] However, even strictly Augustinian Catholics disagree with the Protestant doctrine of total depravity.[24] Referring to Scripture and the Church Fathers,[25] Catholicism views human free will as deriving from God's image because humans are created in God's image.[26] Accordingly, theCouncil of Trent, at its sixth session (January 1547), condemned as heresy any doctrine asserting "since Adam's sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished".[27] Regardless, a concept of radical depravity is stressed in some Catholic theological currents likeJansenism andMolinism.[clarification needed]
TheEastern Orthodox Church embraces the "semi-Augustinian" position ofJohn Cassian and also defendsAugustine of Hippo relating to this doctrine.Seraphim Rose, for example, contends that Augustine never denied the free will of every human,[28] thus he never taught total depravity.Chrysostomos II of Cyprus has asserted that Augustine's teaching might have been used and distorted inWestern Christianity to produce innovative theologizing, and that it is not Augustine's fault.[29]
I like to replace the termtotal depravity with my favorite designation, which isradical corruption. Ironically, the wordradical has its roots in the Latin word for "root", which isradix, and it can be translatedroot orcore.
'Total Depravity – Lutherans and Calvinists agree'. Yes this is correct. Both agree on the devastating nature of the fall and that man by nature has no power to aid in his conversions ... and that election to salvation is by grace. In Lutheranism the German term for election isGnadenwahl, election by grace—there is no other kind.
Wesleyans and Calvinists primarily disagree on the nature of the grace that brings men to salvation. To answer the question, 'How do totally depraved sinners come to Christ?' Calvinists positirresistible grace; Wesleyans posit (universal, enabling, resistible)prevenient grace.
[Any person] can do outwardly good works, but these works come from a heart that hates God, and therefore fail to meet His righteous standards.
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