Is Calvinism A Form Of Gnosticism?

Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, answers a listener submitted question about whether Calvinism is a form of Gnosticism.

[ThetaMinistries]

I am a neo-provisionist. I recently flirted a bit with Calvinism. Probably the most traumatising experience ever. You don’t have ANY assurance as to know whether you’re elect or not. I’m still shaking and trying to rest in Christ. Gnostic Fatalism of Calvinism has officially ruined my week lol. I just need prayers….

[LLPOF]

Every day I go without hearing the word Calvinism is a blessed day.

[bradshaw]

I was reading my study Bible about gnosticism and instantly thought.. this sounds exactly like Calvinism. So a quick Google search and I'm not alone in my thinking

[Leah-fwkn]

In answer to your title and attending a Calvinist church for a few years, I would say "YES", in my opinion.

[Templarkommando]

One of my favorite phrases in arguing theology is "Chexegesis before you wrecksegesis."

[manyfacedgxd]

great content. This channel helped me make sense of leaving calvinism.

[localnwah]

I wouldn’t say it’s a form of Gnosticism but from my experience growing up in a very Calvinistic background, I would say that there are CERTAINLY MANY similarities and dangerous flirtations between the two

[JCsBJJWarrior]

Thx for all you do Dr. Flowers. Ita very encouraging to listen to your scriptural based arguments against calvanism.

[Salvation-Damnation]

Yes, but don't tell them because they're gonna be offended (and might cry in anger).

[HerotPM]

Calvinism is inherently Gnostic in that it claims to be a theology passed down from the apostles in a secret line succession rather than the public succession that can be traced. That's one of the core distinctions of gnostics. Grant it, the secret knowledge that the early gnostics claimed to have received passed down in secret succession was not entirely the same as those of Calvinism, but it's how the beliefs were passed down that makes it gnostic and not just the particular beliefs. Gnosticism was not a homogenized belief system, it had tendencies, but they were not unified in an alternative church. Much the same way that Protestantism today is not a unified belief system, but Protestants still tend to believe certain things and not others despite not having a single unified church. That all being said, some of what the early gnostics tended to believe would line up well with the Calvinist heresy.

[ricobonifacio]

Ken Johnson wrote a great little book about this. Its called Gnostic origins of Calvinism. It's worth checking out.

[clellaadams]

In my humble opinion, the calvinist equates the knowledge and understanding of calvinism to the born again experience.

[rtgray]

YES. Besides the points Leighton listed, both systems are elitist and esoteric and both systems exclude others for reasons they can not change(spiritual racism of a sort).

[skyt]

Calvinists say that God determines everything down to the molecule. They say God determines all of the sins that each one of us will ever commit. That is Gnosticism. How can you say there are different degrees of determinism. Calvinists teach a lot of Gnostic heresy. Mormons teach some truth, does that make them Christian, In Calvinism you have a lot of different Gnostic doctrines hiding in the truth of Gods word. Calvinists do believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob but they ascribe many false traits to his name which come from Gnosticism, and that is extremely troubling and a bad witness to the world.

[krinks]

The Gnostic Origins of Calvinism by Ken Johnson proves this assertion in detail.

[riverflows]

My two genuine questions to thinking (and feeling) Calvinists. What makes you love and admire God (other than that you believe he chose you from among the many that are doomed from the womb)? Do you feel sorrow for the lost people?

[primeobjective]

Calvinism is simi-gnosticism, philosophically.

[bkahlerventer]

Predestination to salvation is a concept from Valentinus Gnosticism. It is from a chapter of the reconstructed Gospel of Truth from Valentinus. That part of calvinism is not from scripture.

[howiegardner]

I personally have no problem labeling hyper-Calvinists as non-Christians.

[terryglovier]

If your foundation is formed by Gnostic beliefs labeled as Christian then it doesn't matter how you build from there its still Gnosticism and this is exactly what Augustine did.