The Almost Completely Unknown Difference that Makes All the Difference…. written by Roger E Olson, PhD We talk endlessly about differences among Christians: Catholic versus Protestant, Calvinist versus Arminian, liberal versus conservative, neo-fundamentalist versus postconservative,…
written by Roger E. Olson, PhD Many years ago, as I was emerging out of my fundamentalist-Pentecostal cocoon into the larger world of evangelicalism (during seminary studies at an evangelical Baptist seminary) I was helped…
When I was a kid my brother and I would sometimes spend part of Saturday handing out gospel tracts in our neighborhood. We were pastor’s sons and probably felt some obligation to do it (as…
From Where Did the First Evil Inclination Come? A Dialogue with a Calvinist
written by Roger E. Olson, PhD
Another Calvinist Misrepresentation of Arminianism written by Roger E Olson, PhD As anyone knows who comes here regularly, I am a self-appointed defender of the truth about classical Arminianism. That often brings me into conflict…
If what many Christians believe about God is true, then the West, Texas disaster (like every disaster) was actually good–”designed, ordained and governed by God” necessarily means “good” in a Christian worldview. Something God designs,…
The foreword (by Calvinist Michael Horton), preface, and first chapter to Roger Olson’s book, Against Calvinism, is now available online (http://www.zondervan.com/media/samples/pdf/031032467X_samptxt.pdf ) and in the attachment. Olson. Against Calvinism Foreword-Preface-Ch. 1
City On A Hill Church in Seattle WA invited Dr. Roger Olson to be part of a “Forum on Calvinism and Arminianism,” during which over 30 of the most common questions related to Calvinism and…
My Biggest Problem with Calvin/CalvinismRoger E. Olson Professor of Theology George W. Truett Theological Seminary Baylor University Above all I want to make clear that I admire and respect my Calvinist friends and colleagues. We…
As I read Mark Talbot’s chapter on God and suffering in Suffering and the Sovereignty of God (edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor) a thought occurred to me: Since most Calvinists are harshly critical…
Karl Barth the Arminian? this post was written by Roger E Olson, PhD Okay, that would be a stretch! I’m not claiming that Barth was an Arminian in any classical or historical sense of Arminianism.…
A Movie Illustration of What’s Wrong with Calvinism this post is written by Roger E Olson, PhD Spoiler alert! If you intend to watch “Ruby Sparks” (a 2012 movie now on DVD) and you don’t…
I just read through “Neither Arminians nor Calvinists but Baptists” and am struck by two significant aspects of the article which I think are flawed. [Note: The article in question was a response to Roger…
A Letter from a Young Christian Reader of Against Calvinism written by Roger E Olson, PhD I recently received this e-mail letter. It’s the best recommendation of Against Calvinism I’ve read yet. I hope you,…
Calvinism and the God-as-author analogy written by Roger E Olson, PhD One of my faithful visitors here pointed me to the following recent essay posted to the Desiring God blog by one Joe Rigney (professor…
Roger Olson, “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Arminian” “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Arminian” by Roger Olson (published in Christianity Today [September 6, 1999])
Recently a group of non-Calvinist Southern Baptists wrote and signed “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.” I certainly have no objection to a group of non-Calvinists pushing back…
This is the heart of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and therefore of authentic Christianity: the incarnation of God as “one of us.” Take it away and Christianity is little more…
I just finished Dr. Olson’s book Against Calvinism (It is really difficult to find time to read when you have a one year old). In appendix 1, Dr. Olson goes over several attempts by Calvinists to protect God’s character despite their theology. One particular argument caught my eye: the use of middle knowledge.
Roger Olson explains:
Molinism… is the belief that God possesses “middle knowledge” — knowledge of what any creature would do freely in any possible set of circumstances. The creature may possess libertarian freedom — freedom not compatible with determinism and able to do other than it does — but God knows what he or she wold do with that ability in an conceivable situation. [Roger Olson, Against Calvinism, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011), 184]
John Piper, God’s Sovereignty, and Sin
written by Roger E. Olson, PhD
A friend forwarded this to me: http://www.christianpost.com/news/john-piper-on-mans-sin-and-gods-sovereignty-80617/
John Piper has been at it again. But there’s nothing new in the sermon reported on there. He has been saying this and writing it for decades. According to him, God foreordains sin. He “ordains and governs” it. He stops short of saying God causes sin. But the effect is the same: sin is God’s will, even if it grieves him. And he’s talking about about every specific sin, not just “sin in general.”
