What does foreordination mean?
Foreordination is a noun denoting the appointment or determination of something in advance, most notably the theological doctrine that God has decreed beforehand the course of events or the ultimate fate of individuals. The term belongs chiefly to formal religious discourse, where it is closely associated with Reformed and Calvinist traditions; classic confessions such as the Westminster Confession treat divine foreordination as an essential article of belief. In these contexts it often overlaps with the more familiar word predestination, though foreordination emphasizes the prior decree itself rather than the destined outcome. Outside theology, the word appears occasionally in literary or philosophical writing to suggest that events were fixed before they occurred. Its connotations are weighty and solemn, touching deep questions of providence, human freedom, and moral responsibility. For readers interested in religious history or debates over free will, foreordination is a precise and useful term for one of Western thought's oldest tensions.
nounThe act or doctrine of appointing or determining something in advance by divine will; the belief that God has fixed beforehand the course of events or the fate of individuals.
- The theological doctrine that God has determined in advance the fate of individuals or events, especially regarding salvation.
- More generally, the determination or appointment of something in advance of its occurrence.
"In Calvinist theology, foreordination refers to God's eternal decree concerning those who will be saved."
"The Westminster Confession affirms God's foreordination of all that comes to pass."
"She viewed her unexpected career as a matter of foreordination rather than chance."
Rarely used; the plural typically appears when referring to multiple distinct divine decrees or instances across texts or traditions.
"The theologians compared the various foreordinations described in different confessional documents."
Foreordination was so central to Puritan belief that New England sermons argued over it for centuries — yet the word itself is simply 'ordain' pushed backwards in time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of foreordination
Foreordination derives from the ecclesiastical Latin verb 'ordinare' (to appoint, to put in order), itself rooted in 'ordo', meaning order or rank, which entered English through the Christian term 'ordain'. The prefix 'fore-' was added in English to indicate action taken beforehand, producing the compound verb 'foreordain' in the sixteenth century during Reformation debates over grace and salvation, from which the noun 'foreordination' followed. It shares this lineage with related English terms such as 'ordinance', 'ordination', and 'order', all descending from the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How foreordination is actually used
Foreordination is primarily a formal, religious term found in theological writing and discussion, especially within Reformed and Calvinist traditions. It carries a solemn, doctrinal connotation and rarely appears in casual speech; outside religion it is used only figuratively.
Easily confused with foreordination
Predestination is the broader and more common term for God's prior fixing of destiny, while foreordination specifically emphasizes the divine decree or appointment made beforehand; the two are closely related and often used interchangeably in theology.