To: Sam Cree
Sam, yes, all Calvinists are Protestant, however..I'm sure that Dr. Duncan was refering to the possibility that Tolkien was espousing an AUGUSTINIAN world view..
While Augustine is generally considered to be one of the chief architects of Western Civilization..he is also embraced by the Protestant Reformers as well as the Catholics as one of the greatest Theologians of the Church. (for instance, Luther was an Augustinian Monk.)
Dr. Duncan was probably refering to the fact that Calvinists are Predestinarian; as Augustine was also Predestinarian in his theology. (The Protestant Reformation was essentially an Augustinian Revival.)
And, since the World of Middle Earth appears to depend; at least on a very subtle level on a Providential Diety...I think that this is possibly why Dr. Duncan's brother's friend made the "tongue in cheek" statement that Hobbits are Calvinists.
To: Biblical Calvinist; JenB
Thanks, guys...'course now I'm going to have to look up Augustine, predestinarian and Calvinism.
10 posted on
10/07/2002 7:28:17 PM PDT by
Sam Cree
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