For Calvinists, is it impossible for a child to be one of the elect?

[MarcoPolo]

Is it possible, in the view of a Calvinist*, for a child who dies before the age of reason, to be one of the elect?

*As I mean Calvinist, I mean the ones who teach that God gives irresistible grace to some, the elect, and they will eventually come to Christ by obedience. The rest of mankind will be denied grace, and ultimately end up in hell.

 

[Contarini]

Is it possible, in the view of a Calvinist*, for a child who dies before the age of reason, to be one of the elect?

*As I mean Calvinist, I mean the ones who teach that God gives irresistible grace to some, the elect, and they will eventually come to Christ by obedience. The rest of mankind will be denied grace, and ultimately end up in hell.

Not only is is possible, but Calvin taught that we could be confident that believers’ children who died in infancy were elect. Many Calvinists have gone further and have speculated that all who die in infancy are elect. I have heard it claimed that some of the New England Puritans believed that all infants were damned, but I suspect that this is a misrepresentation–that what they actually believed was that some infants (presumably the children of unbelievers) were not among the elect.

Edwin

 

[Syele]

if election is unconditional, I’m sure age would not be a condition.

 

[TriuneUnity]

Is it possible, in the view of a Calvinist*, for a child who dies before the age of reason, to be one of the elect?

*As I mean Calvinist, I mean the ones who teach that God gives irresistible grace to some, the elect, and they will eventually come to Christ by obedience. The rest of mankind will be denied grace, and ultimately end up in hell.

The London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), which is a Calvinistic document based on the Presbyterian Westminster Confession, states:

"Elect infants dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit; who worketh when, and where, and how he pleases; so also are all elect persons, who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. "

 

[sandusky]

Is it possible, in the view of a Calvinist*, for a child who dies before the age of reason, to be one of the elect?

*As I mean Calvinist, I mean the ones who teach that God gives irresistible grace to some, the elect, and they will eventually come to Christ by obedience. The rest of mankind will be denied grace, and ultimately end up in hell.

Yes.

 

[MarcoPolo]

These answers lend to me sort of a “Catholic” interpretation of the Spirit flowing where the Spirit will, that those who are unable to be evangelized normatively, will still be saved by the Church, which is His body.

 

[ralphinal]

So are mentally retarded individuals or those who suffered brain damage at a young age (assuming cannot understand right and wrong) are automatically elect as well?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Many Calvinists have gone further and have speculated that all who die in infancy are elect.

**Zwingli was the first to propose that children who died unbaptized were among the elect.

Keep in mind that most of the Calvinist churches practiced infant baptism.**