When it comes to the doctrine of election, I believe the strength or weakness of the arguments for unconditional election lies in the doctrine of the atonement of Christ. If Jesus did in fact die…
Hyper-Calvinism
X-Calvinist Corner Files: Testimony # 19
The X-Calvinist Corner is a page on this website that shares the stories of people who were once Calvinist but have left Calvinism for a more Arminian theology. This series (The X-Calvinist Corner Files) highlights one of…
Is Your Soteriology Hermanszoonian? (Quiz)
IS YOUR SOTERIOLOGY HERMANSZOONIAN? Everyone has at least some sort of systematic theology. Even if, say, “Mr. Smith” denies he has one, we could call it “Smithism.” Simply having an “-ism” attached to a set…
When It Comes to Calvinism, Logic Can Lead to Heresy
Most Calvinists I have ever read or heard or spoken to will insist that God is not the author of sin and evil. But can they, real Calvinists, say that with logic on their side? Or,…
Calvinists Concerned about the Salvation of Arminians
[Editor’s note: What is said in this post about Calvinists applies only to some Calvinists, not all.] Google-search “Are Arminians saved?” and you will discover how so very concerned Calvinists are regarding the possibility of…
The Cause of God and Presuppositions: Irenæus
English Baptist and theological hyper-Calvinist John Gill (1697-1771), in his work, The Cause of God and Truth, is found guilty of not only committing numerous logical fallacies regarding the writings of the early Church fathers…
Roger Olson, “Why Hyper-Calvinism Is Consistent Calvinism”
I know, I know. I will be accused of being “uncharitable” simply for deconstructing Calvinism. Apparently what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander. I have at least twenty-five volumes about Calvinism…
Is the Atonement Sufficient For All?
Is the Atonement Sufficient For All? This post was written by SEA member, Roy Ingle Arminianism affirms that the atonement of Christ was so glorious and powerful that it is sufficient for all to be…
The Almost Completely Unknown Difference that Makes All the Difference
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,…
Evil: Sometimes the Human Explanation is Better than the Divine Explanation
Evil: Sometimes the Human Explanation is Better than the Divine Explanation written by Ryan Ragozine “Everything happens for a reason.” How many times have you heard this short, pithy saying echoed in response to tragedy?…
Quick Overview of Lapsarianism
Quick Overview of Lapsarianism
written by SEA member Roy Ingle
In Calvinism, there are three major views regarding the divine viewpoint of the atonement of Christ and the purpose of the atonement. They describe this viewpoint by ordering a series of decrees that God supposedly made at the beginning of creation. I will present all three views below.
Christians Seeking to Evangelize Other Christians
Christians Seeking to Evangelize Other Christians written by SEA member, Roy Ingle I have been a disciple of Jesus for over 20 years by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). I know that my salvation is based…
Craig L. Blomberg, “THE NEW TESTAMENT DEFINITION OF HERESY”
The charge of heresy sometimes gets made in the Arminianism/Calvinism debate. So we thought it might be helpful to include this article that considers the nature of heresy from a more exegetical point of view…
Phillip M. Way, A Five Point Calvinist Speaks Out Against Requiring Calvinism for Salvation
This article was written by Pastor Phillip M. Way, a five point Calvinist! We include it on our site because it criticizes the hyper-Calvinistic view that one must believe Calvinism to be saved, as represented…
Q&A with Dr. Olson on Calvinism & Arminianism
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…
What Arminians Find Offensive About the “Doctrines of Grace”
What Arminians Find Offensive About the “Doctrines of Grace” written by SEA member Roy Ingle Very often I read or hear Calvinism referred to as “the doctrines of grace.” I am not sure when or…
Calvinism and the God-as-Author Analogy
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…
Calvinism, Arminianism and Omnibenevolence
Calvinism, Arminianism and Omnibenevolence
This post was written by Randal Rauser, PhD
[Please note that Dr. Rauser is not a member of SEA and that SEA does not necessarily endorse all of his theological positions. We include this post on our site because we think it helpful in some respects.]
Arminians like to point out that according to Calvinism God elects some people to damnation. Of course some Calvinists try to soften this teaching by claiming that the election to damnation is a passive divine act according to which God simply “passes over” and thereby opts not to redeem these people.
Unfortunately this shift in nomenclature doesn’t really make the divine act of election to damnation passive in an ethically significant way. Indeed, it calls to mind James Rachels’ famous thought experiment on passive euthanasia so I’m going to borrow from that thought experiment to make my point.
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…
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.
Recent Posts
Why Does God Deny the Opportunity of Choice for or Against Him to Young Children Who Die and the Mentally Impaired?
Mark K. Olson, “Wesley’s ‘Warmed Heart’ at Aldersgate – What Really Happened?”
Adam Roe, “The Crucial Thread of Prevenient Grace: A Wesleyan Perspective on Divine Drawing”
Video: Joel Korytko, “How Romans 9 Doesn’t Support Calvinism”
