It’s the St. Elisha’s Day edition of the Friday Files, SEA’s weekly look behind ourselves to see if we dropped anything, pick it up, dust it off, say “Oh that’s interesting,” and value it again for a little while before it once again gets lost in the pile.
Views expressed herein aren’t always those of SEA. (’Cause we post stuff by Calvinists if it’s relevant.) Posts are from the second week of June…
Last year! (2018)
- Roger E. Olson, Arminianism FAQ. Seedbed turned Olson’s blog series into an ebook, which is free at their website. Or if you’d rather not, here’s the whole series on his blog:
- What’s classical Arminianism? Is it a sect or denomination? Why the name “Arminian”? Why the interest? Is there a middle ground between Arminianism and Calvinism?
- What’s the difference between Wesleyanism and Arminianism? Do Arminians believe in absolute free will? Does it rob God of his sovereignty?
- Does Arminianism lead to open theism? Is it compatible with Molinism? Does it teach our free choice to follow Christ means we kinda merited salvation? Does it lead to liberalism? Is its first principle free will?
- How do Arminians explain Romans 9? Why does it lack big-name advocates? What makes one an Arminian?
- Is prevenient grace in the scriptures? What’s the difference between Arminian and Calvinist views of foreknowledge and foreordination? What are three crucial differences between Arminians and Calvinists?
- Steve Sewell, “Christ Died for the Church—His Elect Bride.” An explanation of corporate election, where Christ died for his church and her individual members.
- Ben Witherington III, “Prevenient Grace, by W. Brian Shelton.” Ostensibly a review of Shelton’s book, Prevenient Grace: God’s Provision for Fallen Humanity. In reality more about Witherington’s views on prevenient grace; he’d rather talk about the Holy Spirit’s universal work of directing people to Christ and salvation, which is more the nuts and bolts of how prevenient grace works.
- The Remonstrance podcast presents “Holy Spirit Baptism” in Episode 41 and Episode 42. John Wesley’s view of the baptism of the Spirit, plus the views of a few folks who followed him.
Five years ago! (2014)
- Rick Patrick, “Same Gospel, Different Offer.” Calvinism believes the same as Traditionalism about salvation, but there are some great big differences in the way these sects view God’s character, motives, values, and work. So… which God are these groups presenting to the lost?
- Jakob Hermanszoon (Jacobus Arminius), “Certainty vs. Necessity.” Certainty is when we know something will happen. Necessity is when we decide something has to happen. Clearly they’re not the same thing, and we ought not automatically read necessity into God’s foreknowledge.
- John Miley, Systematic Theology [Internet Archive], 1892. Miley’s extensive Arminian theology, which takes a governmental view of atonement—which not all Arminians will agree upon, but still.
- Dan Chapa, “Open Theists’ Additions to Libertarian Free Will.” If you believe God’s only making profoundly educated deductions about the future, instead of comprehensively knowing it, “free will” significantly changes meaning.
- Marc Lotharson, “Predestined to Eternally Suffer? An Interview with Philosopher Jerry Walls.” If you don’t really believe God so loved the world, the nature of hell gets profoundly darker.
Ten years ago! (2009)
- Dan Chapa, “God’s Will to Save.” God wants everyone to be saved. Does he fail in his will? Calvinists say he would… if that were really his will; secretly he doesn’t really want to save all. What do the scriptures say?
- Martin Glynn, “Mystery.” In Christianity the word refers to something of God that’s legitimately beyond our comprehension. In Calvinism it’s a cop-out for why their beliefs about God’s sovereignty invariably make him evil.
- Kevin Jackson, “The House Fire.” When a father unsuccessfully rescues his kids from a fire, it’s a whole different story when it turns out he foreordained the fire.
- Kevin Jackson, “Stuff Young Calvinists Like (Satire).” Some common stereotypes of the young, restless, Reformed crowd [which extend beyond Adam Ford’s regular references to beards and craft beer].
- Bob Anderson, “Free Will and the Why of Creation.” God didn’t create humanity specifically to give us free will, but to make us in his image.
- Dan Chapa, “Friday Files: Godet on Romans 9.” A review of Frédéric Louis Godet’s Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, [Google Books] where it deals with chapter 9 and the national election of Israel.
- Martin Glynn, “Ephesians: Devotional Overview and Introduction.” A preface to a devotional series on Ephesians, its ecclesiology, and the relationship between Jewish and gentile Christians and Christ’s church.
Today: Our links.
Are you looking for more to read? ’Cause there’s a lot in here, y’know. But if that’s the case we have a page of links, for our members write a lot. If you were wondering, “Is there anything else on the internet about Arminianism?” oh yes there is. So very much.
