Divine Providence
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Divine Providence, or simply Providence, is a theological term which refers to the sovereignty, superintendence, or agency of God over events in people's lives and throughout history.
This term is an integral part of John Calvin's theological framework known as Calvinism. Calvinism emphasisizes the depravity of man and the complete sovereignty of God. God's plan for the world and every soul that he has created is guided by his will, or providence. According to Calvin, the idea that man has a free will and is able to make choices independently of what God has already determined is based our limited understanding of God's perfection and the illusion (created by Satan) that we are able to reject God's plan for us. In this mode of thought, providence is related to predestination.
The idea of providence was used by many of Calvin's contemporary followers, such as the English Puritans. In modern times, it remains a prominent idea among many Protestant denominations that identify with Calvinism, such as Baptists and Methodists.
Many Christian evangelists have attempted to interpret Biblical passages in the the light of current events and to even use the Bible to predict future events. This interpretation may be seen as a attempt to discern divine providence or, in their view, God's plan for the world by understanding the inerrant word of God.
Divine Providence is also a book, published by Emanuel Swedenborg in 1764, which describes Swedenborgian theology regarding providence, free will, predestination, theodicy, and other related topics.