predestination: Originating with Augustine’s interpretations of New
Testament usage of the verb “to predestine” (in Romans, Ephesians, and
Acts), this doctrine is speci¿ cally about God’s eternal plan, choice, or decree
to bestow the grace of salvation on some unworthy sinners rather than
others. Since the doctrine of predestination is always part of the doctrine of
grace, it should be distinguished from the more general doctrine of God’s
sovereignty or providence over all events that happen, as well as from
philosophical theories of determinism. (See election, double predestination,
and reprobation.)
prelate: A high-ranking member of a hierarchical church, such as an abbot,
an archbishop, or the pope. Both the pope and the (Anglican) archbishop of
Canterbury are prelates. The Puritans rejected prelates.
premillennialism: The view of biblical prophecy characteristic of
Dispensationalism, which teaches that the Second Coming of Christ is
imminent and will occur before the millennium, in which the saints reign with
Christ in a golden age (book of Revelation, 20:4). (Contrast postmillennialism.)
Presbyterian: (See polity and presbyters.)
presbyters: From the Greek word presbyteroi, usually translated “elders”
when it occurs in the New Testament. Originally this term referred to the
leadership of local churches, then to a group of leaders under one bishop (the
monarchical episcopate). This group later came to be called “priests” (an
English word derived from presbyteroi). In the 17th century, Presbyterians
were the mainstream of English Puritanism, who aimed to revive the New
Testament form of church government based on a council of elders or
presbyters, whom the Presbyterians did not think of as priests. (See polity.)
prevenient grace: From the Latin word praevenire, meaning “to come
before,” it is grace that comes before the human choice to accept grace in
faith, as opposed to grace that comes as a result of such faith. Questions
about exactly what role grace plays in a person’s initial conversion to
faith are thus always questions about the role of prevenient grace. The key
disagreement is between the Augustinian view prevenient grace causes us to
have faith and the Arminian view prevenient grace is an offer or incitement