Reject Calvinist election; affirm universal prevenient grace
The Salvation Army rejects Calvinist double predestination and the doctrine of limited election while maintaining God's sovereignty. Following Arminius and Wesleyan theology, the Handbook of Doctrine teaches that God's grace is universally available—God extends 'prevenient grace' (enabling grace that comes before conversion) to all people, allowing everyone to respond to the gospel. God's foreknowledge does not negate human free will.
This nuanced position affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility: God knows all outcomes but does not coerce belief. The Salvation Army's universal evangelistic mission depends on this conviction that every person can respond to grace. While God may foreknow who will believe, salvation remains a real human choice enabled by divine grace rather than irresistible predestination.
Key Distinctions
- Election model:
- conditional election — God elects those he foreknows will believe (Arminian)
- Double predestination:
- denied — God does not predestine any to damnation
- Free will teaching:
- libertarian free will — prevenient grace enables genuine choice
Scripture References
Sources
- Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine
- The Salvation Army, Doctrine (official publication)
- The Salvation Army, Doctrine (official publication)