Election

• Judgement: when?

  Immediate -

  • Catechism of the Catholic Church, backed up by the rich man and Lazarus
  • Jesus on the cross
  • ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’

  End of time -

  • sheep and goats = the 2nd coming
• Limited election

  • only for those whom God chooses
  • through the grace of God
  • Predestination (Augustine)
• Unlimited election 


  the promise of heaven is possible for all
• Calvin and Augustine - Limited Election

  • God elects a few to be saved out of love
  • humans cannot control their chance of salvation
• Barth - Unlimited Election

  through Jesus, everyone is called to salvation but not everyone accepts Jesus
• Hick - Universalism

  everyone suffers and so should be saved because God is benevolent
• The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

  • sheep worth more so put into more secure pens at night time
  • even in this life, there is no advantage to living morally
  • there is an advantage at judgement day because the the reward is eternal life
  • those who don’t expect reward for doing good receive a reward on judgment day
  • the God of love rewards all people of good will, regardless of religion