William Rowe’s book asks the question: Can God be Free? First, he gives an interesting historical introduction to the subject, covering the views of Gottfried Leibniz, Samuel Clarke, Thomas Aquinas and Jonathan Edwards; meanwhile he…
Chapa. Dan
Dekker and Muller on Middle Knowledge in Arminius’ Theology
The following quotes are taken from Eef Dekker’s Was Arminius a Molinist? The Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Summer, 1996), pp. 337-352. Arminius: The knowledge of God is a faculty of his life, which…
Molinists and Ockhamists on the Loose
[Editor’s note: This post comes from a Molinist perspective. SEA does not specifically advocate Molinism, but allows members to hold to either divine simple foreknowledge or Molinism.] This post is a response to Mark Linville’s…
Book Review: Whomever He Wills — Chapter 3: Unconditional Election
Dr. Andrew Davis wrote chapter three of Whomever He Wills: A Surprising Display of Sovereign Mercy,1 which counters Dr. Richard Land’s chapter in Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism, called “Congruent Election.” Two…
1 Corinthians 10:13 Teaches Libertarian Free Will
1 Corinthians 10:13 states: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the…
The New Living Translation and Calvinism
The New Living Translation (the most popular English version of the bible) has numerous translation errors that favor Calvinism and oppose standard Arminian or Traditional Baptist interpretation of the texts. For example, Ephesians 4:30 in the…
Church Fathers on Libertarian Free Will
Clement of Rome: (Knew Peter and Paul personally. He was the third or fourth bishop of Rome. Tradition has identified him with the Clement who is mentioned in Philippians 4:3) “For no other reason does…
Acts 4:28 – Mental Resolution or Causal Predetermination?
The Scholastics used to ask “does predestination place anything in the predestined?” A relevant question indeed concerning Acts 4:28. Consider the translation change from the 1984 NIV to the 2012 ISV: “They did what your…
Christ Redeemed Faith
The Canons of Dort say Christ acquired faith for us by His death (Point 2, article 8).1 The significance of this seemly minor point is that Christ buying the condition of the covenant effectively changes the…
Open Theists’ Additions to Libertarian Free Will
Traditionally, Libertarians have guarded the definition of free will very closely. Libertarians don’t allow compatiblists to remove essential aspects from the concept of free will, like say, reducing ability to hypothetical ability. But while we…
Illegitimate Insistence on Arminius’ Thought Being Semi-Pelagian in W. Robert Godfrey’s Review of *Jacob Arminius, Theologian of Grace*
W. Robert Godfrey, President and Professor of Church History at Westminster Seminary California, has reviewed Keith D. Stanglin and Thomas H. McCall, Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012). In his review,…
G. H. Clark Claims God Creates Sin
This one is Isaiah 45:7: “I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” This is a verse that many people do not know…
Calvinism’s Problems with Total Depravity
This post will be an attempt to add some detail to earlier comments about problems reconciling Calvinism and total depravity using John Hendryx’s post as an example (here). To my knowledge, it’s a new argument…
Hebrews 10:14 – “He has Perfected Forever”
Calvinists often site Hebrews 10:14 as teaching limited/definitive atonement. Specifically, the perfect tense of “has perfected” indicates our perfecting took place in the past – it’s settled and done with, though it has lasting results…
James White on Matthew 23:37
James White recently discussed Matthew 23:37 on Radio Free Geneva in response to Dr. Norman Geisler’s book Chosen but Free. Here’s the passage. Matthew 23:37-39 states: 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the…
James White on 2 Peter 3:9
In James White’s book, The Potter’s Freedom 1, he objects to Norman Geisler’s use of 2 Peter 3:9 in his book Chosen But Free 2. Here’s the passage. 1 Beloved, I now write to you this second…
James White on Romans 8:28-30
In James White’s book, The Potter’s Freedom1, he argues for unconditional election based on Romans 8:28-30. Here’s the passage: Romans 8:28-30: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,…
Response to Dr. Olson on Middle Knowledge
Dr. Roger Olson has repeatedly publicly objected to the doctrine of middle knowledge.[1] His basic objections are that middle knowledge amounts to determinism, makes God the author of sin and is a form of Calvinism…
Arminius on Middle Knowledge
The purpose of the post is to so demonstrate that Arminius taught that God had middle knowledge. Recently several authors, who are otherwise adherents to Arminian theology, have made claims that Arminius did not in…
Paul’s use of Deuteronomy 30 in Romans 10
Many question how Paul uses Deuteronomy 30 in Romans 10 and in turn, if the passages are saying we can obey the law or believe the Gospel. Here are the passages: Romans 10 1 Brothers, my heart’s…
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Mark K. Olson, “John Wesley on Animal Redemption”
