This is part of a series of posts on Romans. The main focus of this series will be chapters 9-11 of the letter. These chapters, particularly chapter 9, have been interpreted in various different ways.…
Prevenient Grace
A Revamped Response to a Revamped Post That Was Terrible
So I was looking through Alpha and Omega ministries looking for a concise presentation of Dr. White’s view of Romans 9, for reference purposes, when I came across a primer in their blog roll. Now,…
John Wesley, Contemporary Wesleyanism and the Reformed Tradition
INTRODUCTION Wesleyans are often surprised to discover how Reformed John Wesley is in his understanding of original sin and salvation. Conversely, many Calvinists are forced to re-evaluate their simplistic caricatures of Wesley as they examine…
Ben Witherington and Roger Olson, “Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology – Part 14”
BEN: It seems reasonably clear that Arminius took the Calvinistic view that regeneration precedes conversion. I suppose it depends on what one means by regeneration— the ability to repent? In any case, various later Arminians…
Dr. Michael Brown Exegetes John 6:37-44
SEA member Dr. Michael Brown responds to a caller’s question on Calvinism and John 6:44. The The video can also be accessed at YouTube here.
Ben Witherington and Roger Olson, “Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology – Part 12”
BEN: I was reflecting on what you say on pp. 155-56 about ‘simul justus et peccator’ and it occurred to me what a difference there is between Luther and Wesley on this matter. Luther, famously…
Andrew Hnatiuk, “Prevenient Grace: An Introduction”
Understanding the doctrine of prevenient grace was one of the most valuable studies for me after leaving Calvinism. It provided an answer to one of the simplest arguments I used to make for Calvinism: I…
Ben Witherington and Roger Olson, “Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology – Part 4”
BEN: On p. 55, you talk about Wesley’s treatise on divine sovereignty compared to Calvin’s view. Would you say that while Wesley agrees with Calvin that God is sovereign, absolutely so, and could do what…
Easy Believism Versus True Salvation
Zacchaeus up in the tree, Paul’s conversion, the Philippian jailer. What do these stories have in common? In every case, it was God who took the first step towards man. As I’ve stated many times,…
Ben Witherington and Roger Olson, “Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology – Part 2”
BEN: Roger you seem to spend a good deal of effort trying to say that Arminian theology could rightly be called a form of Reformed theology, though one distinct from high Calvinism at various points.…
“Tactics And Total Depravity”
A recent article stated: “Millennials leaving the church in droves, study finds.” We could say, “oh, that’s just young people these days”, or “it’s a sign of the times!” Or, perhaps we should consider that…
Causal vs Social Centered Part V: Grace
The fourth point immediately follows from the doctrine of depravity. If we are born depraved, separated from God, and incapable of coming to Christ on our own, then God is the one that needs to…
Steve Sewell, “Rebuttal to Maverick Victor Witlouw” [Prevenient Grace vs. Irresistible Grace]
Maverick Victor Witlouw, of Sovereign Grace Messianic Blog, wrote a response to my article, “Why Irresistible Grace Doesn’t Work, and Why Prevenient Grace Does” [Responding to Steve Sewell’s Presentation of Prevenient Grace]. He happened to…
Causal vs Social Centered Part IV: Depravity
The differences in Depravity between Calvinists and Arminians are perhaps the most interesting for our topic since both Calvinists and Arminians agree on the basic concept. However, I do think we think about Total Depravity…
Ben Witherington and Keith Stanglin, Jacob Arminius, Theologian of Grace – Part Nine
BEN: One of the things that is not clear to me from reading your book is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and prevenient grace in the thought of Arminius. Does by grace Arminius simply…
Matthew Pinson, “Who’s Afraid of the Word ‘Synergist’?”
A Theological Dirty Word Recently I’ve noticed that, over the past century, Arminians have increasingly used the word “synergist” to describe themselves, rather than seeing it as a negative epithet, as most Christian theologians have.…
Ben Witherington and Keith Stanglin, Jacob Arminius, Theologian of Grace – Part Seven
BEN: Why was Arminius accused of Pelagianism or semi-Pelagianism if in fact he was clear that prevenient grace comes to a person purely by unmerited divine initiative? KEITH: This controversy is inherent in the Protestant…
Micah Currado, “‘Unmediated’: A Response to Dr. Flowers”
INTRODUCTION This post is in response to Dr. Leighton Flowers regarding the role of and particularly the means of God’s personal involvement in a person choosing to respond to the Gospel. My response is intended…
Once More Unto the Breach: Total Depravity and Total Inability
Those who deny the doctrine of Total Depravity, and especially its corollary Total Inability, demand we show them from Scripture where an inherent inner inability to freely believe in Jesus Christ and His Gospel is…
Ben Henshaw, “Various Thoughts on the Use of John 6 and Related Passages from John’s Gospel to Support Calvinism”
Various Thoughts on The Use of John 6 And Related Passages From John’s Gospel to Support Calvinism | Arminian Perspectives I have been meaning to do an extensive post on John 6 and related passages…
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