It’s the St. Zacchaeus of Jerusalem’s Day edition of the Friday Files, wherein we dust off some items in the SEA archives and put ’em on the mantelpiece for a while. They’re not always written by Arminians, so heads up. SEA members’ names are in blue. Posts are from the fourth week of August…
Last year! (2018)
- Mike Barlotta, “The Death of John Owen’s Argument: A General Atonement Means God Failed to Achieve His Goal,” part 4. How does Owen understand faith to work?
- James Alex Macdonald, Wesley’s Revision of the Shorter Catechism. [PDF] John Wesley went through the Westminster Shorter Catechism and crossed some stuff out.
- The Remonstrance podcast presents “Wesley’s Covenant Theology” in Episode 45 and Episode 46. John Wesley’s view of Reformed covenant theology, as explained by Stanley J. Rode’s From Faith to Faith: John Wesley’s Covenant Theology and the Way of Salvation.
Five years ago! (2014)
- Michael S. Horton and Roger E. Olson, “Debating Calvinism.” (Which isn’t on Relevant Magazine’s website anymore, so you’ll have to read it at Issuu. Sorry. Starts on page 52.) Horton and Olson explain the debate, what both sides find pertinent, and how to find common ground.
- Craig L. Adams, “Calvin on John 3:16.” Calvin’s commentary started well, but then he claimed life is promised to all who believe… yet only granted to the elect. Trying to have it both ways, it seems.
- Sid Litke, “Why Is There Suffering?” A brief outline which serves as an introduction to theodicy.
- Ben Henshaw, “Do Arminians Really Pray Like Calvinists?” When Calvinists pray for the lost, are they asking God to irresistibly transform people?—or do they even have that idea in mind, and simply pray the same as Arminians?
- Doug Sayers, “Reproofs (Review of PROOF by Doug Sayers, former Calvinist).” Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones’s book PROOF: Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace presents a grace-centered understanding of salvation… but it leaves God wide open to the charge he arbitrarily sends people to hell.
Ten years ago! (2009)
- J.C. Thibodaux, “The Fallacies of Calvinist Apologetics.” He has a series on the silly things Calvinists presume about Arminian thinking. [It’d save time if they actually spoke with one of us.]
- “Fallacy #2: Arminianism Entails Salvation by ‘Inherent Ability.’” Supposedly we Arminians believe we choose Christ, and others don’t, because we have some special trait others lack.
- “Fallacy #3: We Choose By ‘Chance’?” Because we reject the idea God deterministically chooses some for salvation and others for destruction, must it follow we believe God randomly chooses people?
- “Fallacy #4: ‘Free Will Is the Power to Do Anything!!’” Supposedly we believe since God’s granted us free will, it’s an unhindered, limitless will.
- Dan Chapa, “Friday Files: Benson on John 6.” In Joseph Benson’s 1847 marginal notes of John, [Google Books] he comments on how the Father draws people to Christ Jesus.
- Paul Copan, “Taking Calvinism Too Far: R.C. Sproul Jr.’s Evil-Creating Deity.” In Sproul’s book Almighty Over All, he straight-up states God created sin, and introduced evil into the world, so he could show off his wrath.
Ariminianism all over the interwebs.
If the above doesn’t wet your whistle, maybe you should try a sting instrument… Regardless, SEA also has a page full of additional resources, with a lot of things to read in there. If you’re wondering where all the Arminians are, that’s the right place.
