predestination
pronunciation
How to pronounce predestination in British English:
UK [ˌpri:destɪˈneɪʃn]
How to pronounce predestination in American English:
US [priˌdɛstəˈneʃən]
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- Noun:
- previous determination as if by destiny or fate
- (theology) being determined in advance; especially the doctrine (usually associated with Calvin) that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity (including the final salvation of mankind)
Word Origin
- predestination (n.)
- mid-14c., "the action of God in foreordaining certain of mankind through grace to salvation or eternal life," from Old French predestinacion and directly from Church Latin praedestinationem (nominative praedestinatio) "a determining beforehand," noun of action from past participle stem of praedestinare "set before as a goal; appoint or determine beforehand," from Latin prae- "before" (see pre-) + destinare "appoint, determine" (see destiny). First used in theological sense by Augustine; given prominence by Calvin.
Example
- 1. Because predestination implies god 's untramelled freedom , he can choose to save those whom the world and its rules even the church with its rules might condemn .
- 2. Now this is just about the opposite of the kind of rule-bound and wholly unforgiving religion which most people associate with calvinism , but in her mind it was linked with predestination , in a most unexpected way .
- 3. A closed timelike curve seems to imply predestination : we know what is going to happen to us in the future because we witnessed it in our past .