Editing Reformed Christianity (section)

=== Logical order of God's decree ===
{{Main|Logical order of God's decree}}
There are two schools of thought regarding the logical order of God's decree to ordain the fall of man: [[supralapsarianism]] (from the [[Latin language|Latin]]: {{Lang|la|supra}}, "above", here meaning "before" + {{Lang|la|lapsus}}, "fall") and [[infralapsarianism]] (from the Latin: {{Lang|la|infra}}, "beneath", here meaning "after" + ''{{Lang|la|lapsus}}'', "fall"). The former view, sometimes called "high Calvinism", argues that the Fall occurred partly to facilitate God's purpose to choose some individuals for salvation and some for damnation. Infralapsarianism, sometimes called "low Calvinism", is the position that, while the Fall was indeed planned, it was not planned with reference to who would be saved.

Supralapsarianism is based on the belief that God chose which individuals to save logically prior to the decision to allow the race to fall and that the Fall serves as the means of realization of that prior decision to send some individuals to hell and others to heaven (that is, it provides the grounds of condemnation in the reprobate and the need for salvation in the elect). In contrast, infralapsarians hold that God planned the race to fall logically prior to the decision to save or damn any individuals because, it is argued, in order to be "saved", one must first need to be saved from something and therefore the decree of the Fall must precede predestination to salvation or damnation.

These two views vied with each other at the Synod of Dort, an international body representing Calvinist Christian churches from around Europe, and the judgments that came out of that council sided with infralapsarianism (Canons of Dort, First Point of Doctrine, Article 7). The Westminster Confession of Faith also teaches (in Hodge's words "clearly impl[ies]") the infralapsarian<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.iv.i.ii.html |title=Systematic Theology – Volume II – Supralapsarianism |publisher=Christian Classics Ethereal Library |last=Hodge |first=Charles |year=1871 |access-date=4 June 2007}}</ref> view, but is sensitive to those holding to supralapsarianism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.iv.i.iii.html |title=Systematic Theology – Volume II – Infralapsarianism |publisher=Christian Classics Ethereal Library |last=Hodge |first=Charles |year=1871 |access-date=4 June 2007}}</ref> The Lapsarian controversy has a few vocal proponents on each side today, but overall it does not receive much attention among modern Calvinists.