Corporate election

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For elections in corporations, see corporate governance.

In Christian Arminian soteriology, Corporate Election is a doctrine and interpretation arising from passages in scripture regarding election and predestination. Traditionally, the doctrine of election has been individualistic where God chooses the specific persons who will be saved from damnation and He makes this choice prior to the creation of the world. In corporate election, it is the church that is chosen prior to creation and not necessarily specific individuals though some theologians who recognize corporate election also hold to individualistic election.

Corporate election has received considerable support from the New Perspective on Paul which holds that many of the passages by the apostle Paul that are prooftexted for individualistic election are about God's choice of a new people on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ instead of on the basis of birthright and adherence to the Mosaic law (conditional election), or on the basis of God's unmerited and gracious choice (unconditional election). Hence these passages are not about the selection of individuals for salvation. Advocates of corporate election recognize that God chooses individuals, but these choices are for specific tasks and not specifically for salvation.

Another angle on corporate election regards Jesus. Jesus is God's elect, and the church has its election through abiding in Jesus.

Corporate election is of interest to some free will theists who do not hold the view of conditional election. Corporate election allows for the possibility that people may freely become members of the chosen body and they may freely leave the chosen body, hence becoming a member of the chosen is a matter of free will and not a matter of being specifically chosen before the beginning of one's existence.

Corporate election is also a way to reject the position of unconditional election. Unconditional election teaches that God is fully responsible for saving sinners by His grace without their assent. In Calvinism, He chooses the individuals whom He will save by giving them the gift of faith in Jesus Christ.