Federal Vision?

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Sovereign Grace

Puritan Board Sophomore
I was not for sure were exactly to place this, so if it is in the wrong place, please move it.

I've read up on this some, but still remain (mostly) in the fog. What exactly is the bugaboo in regards to this? Please further explain FV to me. Thanks in advance.
 
Federal vision is a blanket term used to describe a range of beliefs. There are more extreme versions of it, but it all has to do with a view of the visible church and God's covenants. The most easily identifiable outworking of their theology is paedocommunion, or allowing any baptized child who can eat to come to the Lord's supper. After looking at the resources recommended, I would recommend listening to Douglas Wilson discuss his views with Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries. It is on YouTube.
 
See the subforum above, and also this thread may be helpful

 
The FV is a "new" (actually there are precursors in certain theologians well before the first Auburn Avenue Conference) way of looking at the covenant. They flatten out the distinction between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works. The believe that baptism unites a person to Christ. This union is potentially losable. If you want a one sentence summary, I would say it is basically Roman Catholic baptismal theology with a thin veneer of reinterpreted Reformed terms spread out over the top of it.
 
Do they believe in baptismal regeneration? Do they believe that your can lose your salvation?

When Rome says baptismal regeneration, they mean that baptism erases the stain (macula) of original sin. Federal Vision probably has no clue what that means. I'm not sure what they mean by it. They like to use broad terms about being incorporated into Christ and all, but when you press them on it it is a different point

Practically, yes they believe you can lose yuor salvation. They'll deny that, but they are more excited talking about apostasy than perseverance.
 
Do they believe in baptismal regeneration? Do they believe that your can lose your salvation?
I've listened to Doug Wilson explain his views multiple times and from what I've gathered he believes baptism truly links you to the body of Christ by linking you to the visible church (the fig tree in his view) but non-elect baptized can and will fully fall away (the branches snapped off the tree) and hence you can, in his view, apostate from the body of Christ. I have not ever heard or read anything from him where he states you can fall away from saving faith. Obviously, however, his views are not universal for everyone involved in the movement, and some certainly lean toward Lutheran or even more Roman views.
 
The gospel = you are temporarily united to Christ because you are temporarily elect but you better watch out because you can lose this union with Christ.
 
Many are enamored with Wright's view of justification. That's how they can argue one is saved by baptism initially but, stays in by good works.
 
They believe in the objectivity of the covenant. So if someone is baptized and and a member of the visisible church than they are in "some murky" sense United to Christ .
 
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