[Taken from http://wesleyanarminian.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/political-advice-from-c-s-lewis/, where comments may be made.]
From the Screwtape Letters (where the demon Screwtape explains how to misdirect a Christian with a “cause”).
General
Election Advice from John Wesley
Election Advice from John Wesley I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them: 1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.…
Should A Pastor Be Fired For Teaching Calvinism?
written by SEA member Roy Ingle I saw a brief post the other day where a Calvinist brother was complaining about a pastor who was fired for teaching, in his words, “the doctrines of grace”…
Molinism, Calvinism, and I Corinthians
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]
How to Foster Charitable, Ecumenical Dialogue in the Global Church
How to Foster Charitable, Ecumenical Dialogue in the Global Church written by Ciprian Gheorghe-Luca PhD (cand) Dialogue means conversation, but a conversation with the purpose of learning the truth. Dialogue involves an exchange between speaking…
John Wesley’s Approach to Spiritual Formation
This post was written by Ben Espinoza on the Seedbed.com website Perhaps my greatest research interest as of late is studying how various theologians and church leaders throughout history sought to form and educate believers…
The Toymaker
Though not a member of SEA, Rev DeCrastos gives an interesting illustration regarding God’s desire to have a relationship with His creation. THE TOYMAKER by Rev. DeCrastos It had been a long day, and the…
Arminius on the Nature of God
Arminius on the Nature of God
provided by SEA member, Roy Ingle
I. The very nature of things and the Scriptures of God, as well as the general consent of all wise men and nations, testify that a nature is correctly ascribed to God. (Gal. iv, 8; 2 Pet. i, 4; Aristot. De Repub. 1. 7, c. 1; Cicero De Nat. Deor.)
II. This nature cannot be known a priori: for it is the first of all things, and was alone, for infinite ages, before all things. It is adequately known only by God, and God by it; because God is the same as it is. It is in some slight measure known by us, but in a degree infinitely below what it is [in] itself; because we are from it by an external emanation. (Isa. xliv, 6; Rev. i, 8; 1 Cor. ii, 11; 1 Tim. vi, 16; 1 Cor. xiii, 9.)
Trevin Wax, “A Word to My Calvinist Friends”
Click on the link to view Trevin Wax, “A Word to My Calvinist Friends,” which expresses his frustration with the type of condescension that he perceives often accompanies Calvinist passion for their position: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2012/08/28/a-word-to-my-calvinist-friends/.
John Piper, God’s Sovereignty, and Sin
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.”
Evangelical Calvinism?
This post is written by Roger E. Olson, PhD I have been reading a new book about Calvinism entitled Evangelical Calvinism: Essays Resourcing the Continuing Reformation of the Church edited by Myk Habets and Bobby…
Sermons of Arminian Doug Newton Online
The sermons of Arminian Doug Newton, pastor of a Free Methodist church in Greenville, IL, and recommended highly by one of our members, may be found online here: http://greenvillefmc.org/#/home
Why is Jonathan Edwards considered so great?
WHY IS JONATHAN EDWARDS CONSIDERED SO GREAT? by Roger E Olson, PhD I know. I’m almost committing blasphemy by questioning Jonathan Edwards’ greatness. I wouldn’t be doing it except there seems to be a kind…
Gregory Koukl, “A Good Reason for Evil”
Taken from: http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5093
A Good Reason for Evil
What is evil? Could it have a purpose? Here is a view of evil from an adult rather than a childish perspective.
By: Gregory Koukl
The first step in answering the problem of evil is this: We’ve got to get clear on what this thing “evil” actually is. It does seem to follow that if God created all things, and evil is a thing, then God created evil. This is a valid syllogism. If the premises are true, then the conclusion would be true as well.
The problem with that line of reasoning is that the second premise is not true. Evil is not a thing. The person who probably explained it best was St. Augustine, and then Thomas Aquinas picked up on his solution. Others since them have argued that evil has no ontological status in itself.
Ronnie Rogers Responds to Selected Comments from His Recent Posts
Taken from SBC Today, where it was posted on July 28, 2012 by the editors of SBC Today:
http://sbctoday.com/2012/07/28/ronnie-rogers-responds-to-selected-comments-from-his-recent-posts/
As I have read the comments regarding my interview and a portion of my book, a few things deserve a response from me. First, I am greatly heartened by those comments, agreeing or not, that sought to interact with my actual words in a gracious manner. Being human, I know how hard that is, and hence my magnified gratitude and admiration for your valiant reliance on the Holy Spirit. Thank you!
Interview with Ronnie Rogers, a Former Calvinist
Interview with Ronnie Rogers, a Former Calvinist
Taken from SBC Today, http://sbctoday.com/2012/07/16/interview-with-a-former-calvinist-ronnie-rogers/ and http://sbctoday.com/2012/07/17/ronnie-rogers-interview-part-2/. Comments on the 2 parts can be found at the respective posts linked above.
Interview with Ronnie Rogers, a former Calvinist [Part 1]
Posted on July 16, 2012 by the editors of SBC Today
The editors of SBCToday present a two-part interview with Ronnie W. Rogers – pastor, Southern Baptist statesman, and former Calvinist — whose 2012 book, “Reflections of a Disenchanted Calvinist,” recently caught our attention. SBCToday will also post selected excerpts from his books in the ensuing days.
John Wesley on Assurance: Can You Know You’re Saved
This post is written by Andrew Dragos of Seedbed. Although not a member of SEA, he expresses well Arminian-Wesleyan thought on assurance of one’s faith.
Justin Taylor, “A Conversation with My Favorite Wesleyan Theologian”
Calvinist Justin Taylor’s post on, “A Conversation with My Favorite Wesleyan Theologian”: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/06/26/a-conversation-with-my-favorite-wesleyan-theologian/ Taylor talks about Calvinist John Stark’s interview with Wesleyan theologian Fred sanders. And in so doing, Taylor makes some of his own…
Allowing is not commanding
This reprint of a blog post by Randal Rauser, PhD is placed here due to his accurate reflection of the Arminian position on the allowing vs commanding controversy. Note that Dr. Rauser is not a member of SEA and does not necessarily claim an Arminian stance.
Over the last week I have heard on at least three different occasions claims made to the moral equivalency of God allowing x and God commanding x. The argument has been made by Christians to demonstrate that if I accept that God providentially allows evils like genocide and infant sacrifice, I should have no problem if God also commands genocide and infant sacrifice. The argument has also been made by non-Christians to argue that if I have a problem with God commanding genocide and infant sacrifice, I should also have a problem with God allowing genocide and infant sacrifice.
You’re a Calvinist, Right? A Calvinist Interviews a Wesleyan Theologian
Calvinist John Stark interviews a Wesleyan theologian he has great respect for, Fred Sanders: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/06/25/youre-a-calvinist-right/. Introducing the interview, Stark writes, “And so, I had to know: For a guy who loves, quotes, and depends upon…
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