Calvinist Southern Baptist pastor Mark E. Dever, having reviewed Richard A. Muller's 1991 book, God, Creation, and Providence in the Thought of Jacob Arminius, notes, in his concluding remarks:

Personally, as a pastor with Reformed [he means Calvinist] convictions, I found this book to be a telling intellectual journey, suggestive of the unwitting capitulations [surrendering] made by our Arminian brothers and sisters to secularism itself. At the end of the day, in a consistent Arminianism, the understanding of God and of humanity must be seen to be "rational" by the world around. Therefore I fear that their notions of God and of humanity can rise no further than the surrounding unbelieving culture. As an evangelical pastor in postmodern America, this is my fear. I pray that I am wrong.

In my readings in The Works of Arminius, I stumbled across a letter of dedication from Arminius‟ nine orphan children to a William Bardesius on August 13, 1612. Bardesius was a Lieuteant of Warmenhysen, and the orphan‟s patron whom they wanted to honor with this letter and the commentary on Romans by Arminius. I almost ignored reading this letter, thinking that it would not offer anything of real value to the study of Arminius and his theology. It did not take me long to realize that I was wrong. What they communicate gives us some valuable insights into how they understood and were impacted by Arminius and his writings. I will quote them for most of this sixteen page letter before concluding with my own summary and observations.

Click on attachment below (compiled by Steve Witzki)

In Charles Ryrie's article "The Extent of the Atonement" he first defines the key issue. Ryrie disagrees with Berkhof that the key issue is if Christ came into the world to save all men or only the elect. Instead Ryrie frames the issue in term of did Christ make provision for the salvation of all people or not?

Next Ryrie deals with exegetical considerations. He digs into 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 2:4-6, 4:10, Hebrews 2:9, John 3:16, and Acts 17:30. In each case Ryrie shows how the text teaches unlimited atonement and points out the problems with alternative explanations.

It seems Calvinism is simply determinism in the context of soteriology. Determinism is the cause and TULIP is the result. Let's walk through TULIP to see if we can spot determinism.

Total Depravity - Hum... not necessarily deterministic, unless one adds either that man is unable to choose between sinful options or that God treats an unable man as able.

Unconditional Election - Our destiny is determined before we were born without having anything to do with us. Clearly deterministic.

Limited Atonement - Christ's death was sufficient for all meaning if He had died for the reprobate, He could have been able to save them. The "possibility" of salvation is based on a different past then the actual past - a hallmark of determinism.

Irresistible grace - Those under grace cannot choose to reject. Denying contrary choice is another sign of determinism.