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BTW, you are aware that Calvin and all of us who subscribe to the doctrines of grace he expounded are doing no more than believing in those portions of Augustine's teachings which Rome rejects?

No, I'm not aware of that, since it's not true. Augustine recognized the existence of free will, of true merit on the part of the justified, even to the point of meriting eternal life, (cfr. On Grace and Free Will, for the first, throughout, for the second, chapters 18-21), the possibility of a failure to persevere on the part of some of the faithful and the consequent impossibility of an absolute certitude (without special revelation) that one will persevere (cfr. the The Gift of Perseverance, chapters 19, 21). Moreover, nowhere in his works do we find the doctrine of the "irresistible grace" (not to be confused with the idea of an infallibly efficacious grace, which he held and which is a legitimate belief among Catholics, cfr. the Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. "Controversies on Grace").

As the denial of these points and the affirmation of the irresistibility of grace constitute the major portions of the so-called "doctrines of grace" that we disagree with (we stand with you in rejecting semi-Pelagianism and Pelagianism, of course), I feel quite confident in claiming Augustine for the Catholic side - he is, after all, the great "doctor of grace" for us Catholics, too.

Admittedly, arguing over who is following Augustine's teachings is a bit pointless since, after all, you can always reply that you'd rather take scripture over what he said!

I feel quite confident in claiming Augustine for the Catholic side - he is, after all, the great "doctor of grace" for us Catholics, too.

And I feel quite confident claiming him for Protestants.

Admittedly, arguing over who is following Augustine's teachings is a bit pointless since, after all, you can always reply that you'd rather take scripture over what he said!

I consider Calvin to be more straightforward, at least to the modern reader. His thinking and writing is more organized, probably reflecting his legal training.

Generally, we credit Augustine because both Calvin and Luther did. Neither claimed to invent the doctrines but traced it all to Augustine.

[Drat...didn't elicit a response...gotta try again]

Admittedly, arguing over who is following Augustine's teachings is a bit pointless since, after all, you can always reply that you'd rather take scripture over what he said!

Admittedly, arguing over who is following Augustine's teachings is a bit pointless since, after all, you can always reply that you'd rather take Pope Fondoboise over what he said!