Phelps described himself as an Old School Baptist, and stated that he held to all of the Five Points of Calvinism.[31] Phelps particularly highlights John Calvin's doctrine of unconditional election, the belief that God has elected certain people for salvation before birth, and limited atonement, the belief that Christ only died for the elect, and condemns those who believe otherwise.[32] Despite Phelps' claims of being a Primitive Baptist, he was ordained by a Southern Baptist church, and was rejected and generally condemned by Primitive Baptists.[33]
Phelps viewed Arminianism (particularly the views of the Methodist theologian William Munsey) as a "worse blasphemy and heresy than that heard in all filthy Saturday night fag bars in the aggregate in the world".[34] In addition to John Calvin, Phelps admired Martin Luther and Bob Jones, Sr., and approvingly quoted a statement by Jones that "what this country needs is 50 Jonathan Edwardses turned loose in it."[35] Phelps particularly held to equal ultimacy, believing that "God Almighty makes some willing and he leads others into sin", a view he said is Calvinist.[36] However, many theologians would identify him as a Hyper-Calvinist ("hyper" meaning "beyond" or "above" not "extreme").[37]
Phelps opposed common Baptist practices like Sunday school meetings, Bible colleges and seminaries, and multi-denominational crusades,[38] although he attended Bob Jones University and worked with Billy Graham in his Los Angeles Crusade before Graham changed his views on a literal Hell and salvation. Phelps considered Graham the greatest false prophet since Balaam, and also condemned large church leaders such as Robert Schuller and Jerry Falwell, in addition to all current Catholics.[39]
Fred Phelps preached his final Sunday sermon on September 1, 2013. Five weeks later, sermons resumed from various different members, starting with Steve Drain.[40][2]
On March 16, 2014, Mark Phelps, a son of Fred Phelps Sr., emailed The Topeka Capital-Journal at 10:30 a.m. and wrote "Just a quick note to assure you the information you wrote and published this morning is accurate," and "I do not know anything more than you know, at this time, but what you wrote I know to be true, personally, just as Nathan (Nate Phelps) knows to be true also." Steve Drain responded to questions about Fred Phelps excommunication by saying "We don't owe any talk to you about that," and "We don't discuss our internal church dealings with anybody. It's only because of his notoriety that you are asking." As for who is the leader of Westboro Baptist Church, Drain said "The church of Jesus Christ doesn't have a head," and "The Lord Jesus Christ is our head.". Drain also said "For a very long time, we haven't been organized in the way you think," referring to the church having a defined leader.[2] The church's official website said in response that membership status is private and did not confirm or deny the excommunication.[41]
