Jansenism is a theological movement within Roman Catholicism that emphasizes original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the writings of Cornelius Jansen, who was Bishop of Ypres in the early 17th century. Jansen’s major work, Augustinus, was published posthumously in 1640 and caused significant controversy within the Catholic Church. Here is an overview of Jansenism and an analysis of how biblical its teachings are:
Overview of Jansenism
The key teachings of Jansenism include:
- Human nature is profoundly corrupted by original sin. Humans are depraved and inclined toward evil.
- Salvation is entirely dependent on God’s grace. Humans cannot earn salvation through good works.
- God’s grace is irresistible and not dependent on human free will. The elect will be saved by grace alone.
- Christ did not die for all people but only for the elect predestined to salvation.
- Frequent Communion should be discouraged because most people are unworthy to receive it.
Jansen emphasized strict Augustinian views on original sin and predestination. He taught that human free will was destroyed by the Fall, leaving humans powerless to avoid sin. Jansen argued that saving grace is irresistible and not conferred based on human actions. He also discouraged frequent Communion, believing most Catholics were unworthy to receive the Eucharist.
Jansenism spread through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries. Key figures in the Jansenist movement were Jean du Vergier, Antoine Arnauld, and Pasquier Quesnel. Jansenism was viewed as heretical by Jesuit theologians and condemned by several popes. However, it attracted many followers due to its rigorous piety and asceticism. The convent of Port-Royal became a major center of Jansenism.
Key debates related to Jansenism included arguments over the respective roles of grace and free will, the correct interpretation of Augustine’s views on predestination, and whether Jansenius’s teachings diverged from orthodox Catholic doctrine. Jansenism was formally condemned by Pope Innocent X in 1653 and Pope Clement XI in 1713.
Analysis of Biblical Support
Now let’s analyze the extent to which the main tenets of Jansenism are biblically based:
Human Depravity
Jansenism strongly emphasizes original sin and human depravity. This aligns with numerous biblical passages:
Romans 3:10-12 – As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Genesis 6:5 – The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
The Bible clearly teaches that humans are fallen creatures with a natural inclination toward sin. Jansenism’s pessimistic view of human nature has strong scriptural support.
Necessity of Grace
Jansen emphasized that divine grace is essential for salvation. This also aligns with Scripture:
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
2 Timothy 1:9 – He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
Acts 15:11 – We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.
The Bible clearly presents salvation as an unearned gift of God’s grace. Human works cannot merit salvation. This supports Jansen’s views on the absolute necessity of grace.
Predestination
Jansen taught that God predestines certain people to salvation. This is a very complex theological issue. Key Bible verses include:
Romans 8:29-30 – For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Ephesians 1:4-5 – For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Acts 13:48 – When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
These verses can be interpreted as supporting predestination. However, there are also verses emphasizing human free will and choice (e.g. Joshua 24:15; Revelations 3:20). There is no definitive biblical consensus on this complex theological issue.
Limited Atonement
Jansen taught that Christ’s atonement was intended only for the elect, not for all humanity. However, Scripture teaches that Jesus died for the sins of the world:
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1 John 2:2 – He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 – God our Savior…wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
The Bible presents Jesus’s atonement as having unlimited scope – applicable to any who believe. This contradicts Jansen’s limited atonement teaching.
Discouraging Communion
Jansen discouraged frequent Communion, but Scripture exhorts believers to partake regularly:
1 Corinthians 11:26 – For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
John 6:53-56 – Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life…so whoever feeds on me will live because of me.
The Eucharist was instituted by Jesus and the apostles encouraged frequent participation. Jansen’s reservations seem to lack biblical justification.
Conclusion
In summary, Jansenism aligns with Scripture on human depravity and the necessity of grace, but has weaker biblical support regarding predestination, limited atonement, and restricting Communion. As a whole, Jansenism tends towards a very pessimistic view of human nature and an overly rigid view of grace and predestination. The core emphasis on human sinfulness and reliance on divine grace is biblical. However, taken to an extreme, Jansenism veers into fatalism and a negation of free will that is not fully supported by Scripture.