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Ordinary Time

Key Doctrines

Election

God's choosing of a people for himself — Israel in the Old Testament, the Church in the New (Eph 1:4). The ground of that choice is the debated point.

Not To Be Confused With

Election is the choosing; predestination is the destining to an end. Corporate election (of a people) and individual election are distinguished by some traditions and merged by others.

“He chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). The traditions divide over whether election is unconditional or conditioned on foreseen faith, and whether it is chiefly corporate (in Christ, the elect One) or individual. Scripture's stress is doxological — election as ground for worship and assurance, not speculation.

Related Terms

Related Word Studies

Election — Definition | Theologos Media