The Synonymns of Conversion

The over-systematization tendency in theology has had many sad consequences. Among these are not only the perverted harmonization efforts, which in the doctrine of election have led to the Calvinistic and the synergistic solutions of the “Cur alii prae aliis?" dilemma, and in the doctrine of justification have resulted in a lamentable confounding of Law and Gospel in quest of a "higher harmony”, but also certain subtly scholastic unscriptural distinctions which discriminate between the effect of the preached and of the written Word, endeavor to establish a different working for each of the sacraments, and have also borne fruit in an elaborately developed way of salvation consisting in a greater or less number of more or less distinct acts and stages.