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…
Determinism
Roger Olson, “‘God’s Will’ In Calvinism and Arminianism”
Calvinists and Arminians agree that God “accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will” because so says Ephesians 1:11 and the entire testimony of Scripture. Both, however, interpret this differently. John Calvin, facing this…
Tim Keller: Private Calvinist, Public Arminian
[Editor’s note: SEA does not necessarily agree with any comments by the author of this post to the effect that Tim Keller, John Piper, or any particular Calvinists are intentionally misleading or disingenuous in their…
David Martinez, “Old Debate, New Day: Calvinism” (Review of the Fischer/Zahnd vs. Montgomery/Jones Debate)
By David Martinez On the night of Wednesday, August 27, 2014, Arminians squared off against Calvinists at Missio Dei Church in Chicago for a theological debate. The participants were: Brian Zahnd and Austin Fischer (Arminians)…
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…
Doug Sayers, “Led Zeppelin, Calvinism and Words with Multiple Meanings”
[This post was taken from SBCToday where the original post and comments can be found.] Ed’s. note: SBCToday became aware of Doug Sayers through this blog site. His notation of being a former Calvinist piqued…
Susanna Wesley on Predestination
The following is from a letter written by Susanna Wesley to her son John. This quotation has been taken from John Kirk, The Mother of the Wesleys: A Biography (London: Henry James Tresidder, 1864), 284-86. Explanatory…
Roger Olson, “Beware of Stealth Calvinism!”
Beware of Stealth Calvinism! Several times here I have expressed concern that some Calvinists are attempting to take over churches by stealth. I frequently hear from church members (mostly Baptists but occasionally also Pentecostals and…
Middle Knowledge in Scripture
Description of Middle Knowledge The twin foundations for middle knowledge are the beliefs that the bible teaches libertarian free will and the bible teaches God’s providence over all things. Middle knowledge reconciles the two by…
Roger Olson, “Is This the Best of All Possible Worlds? What I Would Think If I Were a Calvinist”
Most Calvinists I know believe in meticulous providence. Some have claimed here recently that a Calvinist does not have to believe in meticulous providence (that God plans, ordains and governs all that happens without exception).…
Predestined to Eternally Suffer? An Interview with Philosopher Jerry Walls
Please click on the link to view Predestined to Eternally Suffer? An Interview with Philosopher Jerry Walls. [Please note that while Jerry Walls believes in the possibility of post mortem salvation, that is not a…
Arminius on Certainty vs. Necessity
The following quote is from the Works of James Arminius, 1875 London Edition, Examination of Gomarus on Predestination. (Volume 3. p 547-549) Arminius’ Examination of Gomarus is only in the 1875 edition and is therefore…
Tertullian on the Problem of Evil and Free Will
This is part of a series of posts that captures the early church views on free will and determinism. The idea for this series was motivated by Calvinist claims that their view was held by the early…
Zack Hunt, “Dear John (An Open Letter To John Calvin)”
Please click on the link to view Zack Hunt, “Dear John (An Open Letter To John Calvin)”. Some of the author’s comments in criticism of Calvin may be worded more strongly than we would tend to…
Austin Fischer’s Response to Kevin DeYoung’s Review of Fischer’s Book Young, Restless and No Longer Reformed
My Review of Kevin’s Review Here’s my review of what I thought, generally speaking, was a fair review of my book by Kevin DeYoung. I’ll focus in on a few key critiques and offer some…
Dr. Jerry Walls, “Clive (C.S.) Lewis and the Pious Calvinist Confusions of John Piper”
Dr. Jerry Walls speaks about John Piper’s recent book, Does God Desire All to Be Saved?. From the video’s YouTube page: Dr. Jerry Walls gives his critique of Calvinism, and more specifically, John Piper’s written…
A Layman’s View of the Debate over Free Will between Calvinists and Evangelical Non-Calvinists
The following comment (now with a little editing) was left in the comment thread of Braxton Hunter’s reply defending his article in favor of the free will of man against the criticisms of Tom Hicks:…
Braxton Hunter, “Answering Tom Hicks on the Free Will of Man”
Please click on the link to view Braxton Hunter, “Answering Tom Hicks on the Free Will of Man”.
Ronnie Rogers, “Calvinism Diminishes God”
Please click on the link to view to view Ronnie Rogers, “Calvinism Diminishes God”.
St. Justin on Pre-determinism
[This post was taken from http://gloria-deo.blogspot.com/2014/03/st-justin-on-pre-determinism.html ] For me, one great attraction of the theology of the Wesleys (and indeed other Anglicans like C.S. Lewis) is their strong assertion that we humans really are responsible agents,…
