Predestination vs. Predeterminism — What's the Difference?

Predestination, in Christian theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the "paradox of free will", whereby God's omniscience seems incompatible with human free will.

Predeterminism is the philosophy that all events of history, past, present and future, have been already decided or are already known (by God, fate, or some other force), including human actions. Predeterminism is closely related to determinism.

The act of predestining or the condition of being predestined.

The belief that all events that occur have already been determined.

The doctrine that God has foreordained all things, especially that God has elected certain souls to eternal salvation.

The divine decree foreordaining all souls to either salvation or damnation.

The act of God foreordaining all things gone before and to come.

Destiny; fate.

(theology) The doctrine that everything has been foreordained by God or by fate.

The doctrine that certain people have been elected for salvation, and sometimes also that others are destined for reprobation.

Destiny or fate.

The act of predestinating.

The purpose of Good from eternity respecting all events; especially, the preordination of men to everlasting happiness or misery. See Calvinism.

Previous determination as if by destiny or fate

(theology) being determined in advance; especially the doctrine (usually associated with Calvin) that God has foreordained every event throughout eternity (including the final salvation of mankind)