In a Q&A, when asked whether regeneration precedes faith, he answered (in part): Why not say that the Spirit of God can move him along even in his unregenerate state to an understanding and can…
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A. Chadwick Thornhill, “Election, Paul, and Second Temple Judaism”
Few issues exist in the interpretation of the New Testament which can become as contentious as questions of “sovereignty” and “free will.” Various terms like “election,” “predestination,” “foreknowledge,” etc., get thrown around in these discussions.…
Reward and Punishment Necessitate Libertarian Freedom
As is stated in previous posts on this site, libertarian free will is assumed throughout the tenor of the entire Bible, and determinism is exposed as not merely flawed but erroneous and damaging to the…
Compatibilism and Wireless Technology, Part 1: Why Calvinism’s Explanation for Human Freedom and Responsibility Doesn’t Satisfy Me
In this post I will discuss why Compatibilistic Calvinism really offers no satisfactory explanation of how genuine human choice (in the common understanding of the word) is possible within the scheme of divine determinism. William Birch…
The Genius of Arminian Theodicy
I do not accept what is known as a Greater-Good theodicy1 — that all sin and evil serve a purpose in the mind and plan of God, from which He will bring about a greater…
Martin Glynn, “A Critique of ‘Do We Have Free Will?’ by Geoff Ashley, Part II: Considering the Considerations of the Objections”
In part 1, I looked at a short essay written by a Geoff Ashley that has apparently been making the rounds through Calvinist circles as an explanation of the Calvinist perspective of the will. I agree that…
Martin Glynn, “A Critique of ‘Do We Have Free Will?’ by Geoff Ashley, Part I”
Recently, I was pointed to a presentation of the Calvinist view of the will that has been circling the internet (here). When I read it, I found it to be well written, and an excellent…
Questioning Calvinism: Unconditional Election
When I was a Calvinist in the late 1990s, having been defending Calvinism as the lone orthodox theology of the Church for quite some time, I remember asking our assistant pastor at Providence Presbyterian Church…
Many are Called But Few are Chosen
The phrase, “for many are called but few are chosen,” is found at Matthew 22:14. A few translations, some quite surprisingly (Amplified, ISV, OJB), place the verse also at Matthew 20:16 (Amplified, Darby, Douay-Rheims, Geneva,…
Is There More to Arminianism Than Its Five Points?
John Bugay of Triablogue posted a comment from Stephen Wolfe’s Facebook page that suggests Roman Catholicism should be the Calvinist’s greatest focus and opponent, not Arminianism; that the latter should be reduced merely to its…
Roger Olson, “C. S. Lewis Said It: God’s ‘Goodness’ Cannot Be Wholly Other”
For years now I have been insisting that the main reason I am not a Calvinist (or any kind of divine determinist) is that, taken to its “good and necessary consequences,” Calvinism makes God morally…
Tim Keller and D.A. Carson: Prime Examples of the Gumby Theology of Calvinism
Gumby—a green clay humanoid character that can twist and turn to get out of every predicament. A great toy it makes; a great theologian it does not. There is no greater theological imperative today then…
James White Comments on a Sermon by James McCarthy, Author of *John Calvin Goes to Berkeley*
James White reviewed a sermon by James McCarthy, author of “John Calvin Goes to Berekely,” and this post will review James White’s review. The title of James White’s YouTube clip is “Radio Free Geneva: Ephesians…
Roger Olson, “What Did Charles Hodge Say about ‘The Decrees of God?’ (Part 2)”
In Part 1 of this series on the theology of Charles Hodge I claimed that Hodge remains the “gold standard” for Reformed theology for most American Calvinist evangelical theologians. Again, as I said there, that…
Jerry Walls, “The Sovereignty of God”
The sovereignty of God is a vitally important truth Wesleyans badly need to recover. This is not only because it is crucial for understanding the biblical drama, but also because many Wesleyans have tended to…
Grant Osborne, “Exegetical Notes on Calvinist Texts”
In this post, . . . Arminian scholar Dr. Grant Osborne addresses certain proof texts which Calvinists use to support their theology. I offer posts such as this one because some readers do not have…
J. Matthew Pinson, “Why Calvinists Really Believe in Unconditional Election”
Often my Calvinist friends say that the reason they are Calvinists is because of total depravity—that the entire Calvinistic system flows from total depravity, because there is no way to rescue people from their total…
Roger Olson, “Arminianism FAQ 3 (Everything You Always Wanted to Know…)”
FAQ: Doesn’t Arminianism lead to open theism? A: Open theists and Calvinists both think so, but classical Arminianism don’t think so. According to classical Arminianism, God knows the future exhaustively–as already settled in his own mind although…
Helpful Conversation between Austin Fischer and an Interlocutor
In the comments on Austin Fischer’s reply to John Piper’s criticism of his book,Young, Restless, and No Longer Reformed, a Calvinist named Clayton Hutchins got into a discussion with Fischer that is helpful for laying out…
John Frye, Review of *Young, Restless and No Longer Reformed*
[The following review appeared on Scot McKnight’s blog “Jesus Creed” in 2 parts: Part 1 and Part 2.] Young, Restless, and no longer Reformed: Black Holes, Love, and a Journey in and out of Calvinism caught…
Recent Posts
Clayton Sidenbender, “How a Small US Evangelical Seminary Is Defying the Odds”
Richard Coords, “Mystery”
Sermon Video: Jack Hibbs, “God’s Good – Good Sovereignty (Romans 9:14-29)”
Video: The Adventures of Sir Calvin the Almost Gallant
