Catholicism Vs. Tulip

[TheUbiquitous]

One Facebook group for Christian apologetics recently got into each article of TULIP. Not knowing what this was, I used Jimmy Akin's [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/TULIP.htm"]article on the subject[/url] as a cheat sheet.

Then one of the other posters [url="http://www.catechism.cc/articles/catholic-soteriology-versus.htm"]provided[/url] a self-styled refutation of Akin's take. So now I'm at a loss. Who is right?

[Theoketos]

Akin presents a modified TULIP that followers Calvinists might accept and thus in accepting this they might choose to be one with the Church. This refutation confuses, despite its best effort not to, 1) Akin and "original" Calvinism, as if there is any such thing as a consistant heresy and 2) does not allow for the breadth of theology that the Magisterium does.

Indeed what Akin proposes is not comprehensive, and for a full discussion might need to include many of the points the refutation does. And Akin might not be proposing the exact soteriology that refutation does, but there are many stands of soteriology that the magisterium considers orthodox.

The refutation is simply not subtle enough.

To state it again, I wonder if that refutation is a misunderstanding or mischaracterization of Akin, of Calvinism, and of total depravity. It contains much truth, and neither I nor Akin (if I can presume so), reject Trent as the refutation might suppose.

Further, it is suspicious that the refutation only uses antagonistic and dated, if mostly accurate, Catholic sources to speak for Calvin. Where as Akin is a former Calvinist. The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia is a great resource, but often needs a bit of updating if only for the sake of a better understanding.

Consider.

I do not think Akin was saying that Catholic should adopt Calvinism, modified or not. I believe his thesis was something like Calvinists should look for those similarities between Catholic soteriology (in its various accepted forms) and Calvinism to see which is better.

Sorry this is rambling. I wrote it between teaching various classes.