I have done that numerous times on this thread. Since you are not reading all of the posts, you can start with post 2483. But here is a cut and paste of that first post on this subject to save a little time:
The majority of Methodists believe in free will, including the many churches derived from Methodism, such as Pentecostals and Assemblies of God. The same is true of those churches derived from the Brethren and Anabaptists movements in Europe. This includes churches as diverse as Mennonite, Amish, Church of the Brethren, and Quaker.
The situation is more complex among Baptists, but many do believe in free will, including General Baptists and Free Will Baptists. As for those churches founded on the theology of Luther and Calvin like Lutherans and Presbyterians, some members do believe in free will. And whatever the beliefs of the early churchmen of the Church of England, today many Anglicans--perhaps a majority--believe in free will (mainly I think from the influence of Methodism on the one hand and the Oxford Movement on the other.)
In Protestant theology, a belief in free will is called Arminian, named after Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch Reformed churchman who rejected much of Calvin's theology, including predestination. In Arminianism, grace is a gift that can be accepted or rejected. It can also be lost without a renewal of the will.
You might find it interesting to note that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and an Anglican priest who never left the Church of England, took much inspiration from the theology of the Orthodox Church.The majority of Protestants today subscribe to a belief in free will.
So, the majority of Protestants don't believe in predestination or once saved, always saved.
Could you please explain a bit your beliefs on this subject so that I am able to better qualify my statements on this subject in the future.
It is not just my beliefs. I am talking about the majority of Protestants. You can also speak to Forest Keeper, HarleyD, and kosta50 about this.
By the way, since that first post I have done a little more reading on the history of the Church of England. I had forgotten about the Laudians (anti-Calvinists.) Whatever influence the Puritans (Calvinists) may have had at the beginning of the Reformation in England, the Laudian party came to dominate the Church of England early on. So, I want to revise my previous statement--the vast majority of Anglicans believe in free will.
While I do agree that most Protestant believe in free will (and Catholics do believe in predestination, by the way, as well as free will), I was refering to salvation. The idea that once a person either recites the "sinner's prayer" or is Baptised, that person cannot lose his salvation in heaven. As far as I know, your post doesn't address that - free will is only indirectly involved with salvation and losing it. Can you fill me in on what Methodists and others believe on the subject?
As to "majority", I am not in the know of which theology in Protestantism is dominant or the majority. All I can do is generalize, trying to come up with common beliefs that you all share but are different from Catholicism, such as Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, and Eternal Salvation for the Protestant.
Correct me if I am wrong, please.
Regards
Yes, I would agree with stripes. A majority of Protestants have abandoned the monergistic view of salvation and adopted the synergistic (free will) view. Wesley, while not accepting everything the Arminius had to offer, accepted the "free will" view.
Today most Protestants have no problem agreeing to the Catholic view of man, even though it was never what Protestants were originally about. It doesn't surprise me that jokus wouldn't have much difficulties in becoming a Methodist or why some Protestants become Catholic.
Well, you sold me on that a majority of Protestants don't agree with me on predestination, :) but most Protestants don't accept OSAS either? EVERYONE in my SB church believes in at least that. Are you saying that most Protestants have a Roman Catholic view of salvation? What do you say that most Protestants believe about salvation?