Prevenient Grace + Foreknowledge + Perseverance + Atonement + Arminianism + Calvinism + Regeneration + Ordo Salutis + General + Predestination + Free Will + Grace + Sovereignty of God + Providence + Hyper-Calvinism + Calling + Election + Determinism + Depravity + Devotionals + Hermeneutics + Book Reviews + Reprobation + Faith + Assurance + Union with Christ + Monergism & Synergism + Bible Passages + Apostasy + History
The Influence of Arminius on American Theology
The following is part of Gerald O. McCulloh's address presented at the Arminius Symposium in Holland, August 1960. He stated that it was his honor to chronicle the influence of the theology of the great Dutch theologian, Jacobus Arminius, noting how the "discussions and disputations which exerted great influence in shaping Protestant Christianity in Holland, England, and America [can] be heard again to warn against doctrinal neglect or errors and to lead to new understandings of Christian truth."1 McCulloh writes the following.
In the theological education and personal development of a person preparing for the ministry of the church, Arminius' emphases upon God's will in Christ to redeem all men, and that portion of responsibility which rests upon the Christian in the life under grace unto sanctification, are essential in the intellectual and spiritual equipment of the man. . . .
Arminius and the Structure of Society
The following is part of James Luther Adams' address presented at the Arminius Symposium in Holland, August 1960: "Arminius and the Structure of Society."
Not as a total stranger does the citizen of Massachusetts visit Amsterdam, a seat of the old Dutch Republic. Not as a stranger does a member of Harvard University join in this celebration of the four-hundredth anniversary of Jacobus Arminius. Many are the spiritual children of the Dutch Republic and also of Arminius who have contributed to the heritage of Massachusetts and of America in both politics and religion. . . .
Nichols’ Calvinism & Arminianism Compared 1824
James Nichols did a great amout of work getting Arminian books published, but he also wrote a bit himself. Here’s his work Calvinism and Arminianism Compared in Their Principles and Tendency. (link)
Answers to Common Calvinist Questions
Submitted by Kevin Jackson on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 9:47amSome answers to common Calvinist questions:
Q: Why does one person believe in Jesus and not another?
Q: Man is dead. How can a dead person believe or do anything?
Q: If man is dead in sin, how can he believe outside of the grace of God?
Q: If man can make choices, doesn't that weaken God's sovereignty?
Q: If man can make choices, how can God have exhaustive knowledge of the future?
Q: Here are [insert list of scriptures] to prove that Calvinism is true.
Q: Doesn't Arminian Theology lead to boasting because man contributed to his salvation?
Q: Why does one person believe in Jesus and not another?
A. This question assumes a deterministic framework. Each person is a unique being who has the God given capability to make his own choices ex nihilo. One person believes and not another because one chose to believe, and the other did not.
Some Wise Words of Caution from John Piper to the Young, Restless, & Reformed that Can Be Applied to the Young, Alarmed, and Arminian
Submitted by SEA on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 10:06amAm I recommending some comments by staunch Calvinist John Piper? Yes indeed. I disagree vehemently with him about Calvinism and Arminianism, but count him as a brother in Christ, an erudite Christian scholar, and a godly man with many good, biblical things to say. Here I want to direct your attention to some wise words of caution he gave for the Young, Restless, & Reformed that can be applied with little alteration to the Young, Alarmed (Why alarmed? Because of the resurgence of the false doctrine of Calvinism), and Arminian. Here is a Link to Piper's Comments, the essence of which is, beware of pride and intellectualism, and ultimately loving one's theology more than God. The link is to the edited transcript of Piper's comments. At the link, one can also find more links to watch or listen to them.
Arminian Minute: Eye of the Tiger & Romans 9
Submitted by postpre on Tue, 07/20/2010 - 8:58amShare with us in a little humor over the importance that Calvinists place on Romans 9, with a revealing comment from John Piper for no extra charge :-)
Limborch’s Systematic Theology
Philip van Limborch (1633-1712) wrote the first complete Remonstrant Systematic Theology. Though he slighted original sin and had questionable views on total depravity, he still does make some very strong points against Calvinism. Here’s an Engish translation of his work entitled “A Compleat System, or Body of Divinity, both Speculative and Practical”: (link)
Arminius' Nine Questions For the Synod of Dort
Submitted by royingle on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 8:21amArminius died in 1609, which was nine years before the Synod of Dort convened in 1618-1619. Yet it was his original ideas, teachings, and requests that led to the infamous Synod. From the writings of Arminius, it appears that he had hopes that the national synod would be a place for him to 1) defend himself against all charges of heresy, and 2) to defend his views regarding changes he saw needed in the Calvinistic confessions of faith. Arminius felt that the Scriptures were the highest authority to appeal to, and he felt that the Confessions of faith and Catechisms needed to be changed in light of clear teaching in Scripture. The Calvinists of his day disagreed and argued that the Confessions and Catechisms were the judges of what true believers should confess and believe (and it appears to me to be regardless of what Scripture said).
Arminian Confession of 1621 and Apostasy
Arminian Confession of 1621 and Apostasy - an article about the Remonstrants' position on the possibility of apostasy.
Click on the pdf to view
Arminian Minute: Is Unconditional Election Good News for the Despairing Soul?
Submitted by postpre on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 7:30amDoes Calvinism (with its upholding of unconditional election) really have good news for the despairing sinner? At most, a Calvinist can tell a disturbed soul that they could be among God's elect. But, is such a response sufficient enough to engender hope in the heart of the broken? No, it is not. Nothing short of full assurance (no "could be's") that one can turn to God for relief from guilt will do.
The following YouTube video interacts with a 2003 sermon of John Piper's and seriously questions whether the belief in unconditional election is good news for the despairing soul.
