The Friday Files compiles posts from Arminian and other non-Calvinist bloggers from round the globe, and highlights older SEA posts. Names in green indicate SEA members. Inclusion isn’t necessarily endorsement. Blame K.W. Leslie for the brief summaries.
Lifestyle and sanctification
• “Seeking the knowledge of the holy.” [7 Oct 17] Knowing God is mandatory if we’re to worship him correctly.
• “The holiness of God: A presence that disturbs me with joy.” [8 Oct 17] What’s it mean to be holy like God is holy?
• “Devotion #23: We need revival!” [8 Oct 17] It’s not a show; it’s hearts turned to Christ.
• “The love of God.” [8 Oct 17] A wrong idea of God’s love results in unsteady Christians.
• “The faithfulness of God.” [8 Oct 17] On the integrity of God’s character.
• “The majesty of God.” [8 Oct 17] God’s greatness should evoke worship.
• “Forgiveness is all powerful.” [8 Oct 17] Can’t have a relationship with God without it.
Gina Hyatt, Gina Hyatt: “Why pray?” [10 Oct 17] It fosters love for one another.
Theodicy and suffering
• “Should Christians express indignation against God’s plan?” [1 Oct 17] If Calvinists truly believe human evil is part of God’s sovereign plan (you know, like when Jesus was killed), why do they object so strongly to evil?
• “Why did this happen!?” [4 Oct 17] After the Las Vegas shootings, is your theology able to explain it in a way that DOESN’T cast God as the bad guy?
Roger E. Olson, My Evangelical Arminian Theological Musings: “When it comes to Calvinism, logic can lead to heresy.” [1 Oct 17] Taken to its logical conclusion, Calvinism casts God as the originator of evil. But if any Calvinists dare say so, they’re called heretics.
Ben Plunkett, Rambling Ever On: “Here where dogs bite and bees sting: Part Two.” [9 Oct 17] Pain and suffering aren’t pleasant, but aren’t necessarily judgment.
Theology and history
• “Romans 9 outline.” [29 Sep 17] God’s plan to save Israel, and how gentiles benefit.
• “Is the gospel sufficient?” [7 Oct 17] Need there be some sort of extra grace to lead people to salvation?
• “Is an evidence-based belief on shaky grounds?” [6 Oct 17] For those who say apologetics are irrelevant, so trust only the scriptures: An evidence-based faith is more solid than that.
• “Should we let science influence our doctrine of creation?” [9 Oct 17] Well, we already do. The relevant question is how we do it.
• “Responding to an anti-Christian meme: Little Timmy and the man who murdered his family.” [11 Oct 17] On a meme which depicts repentance and forgiveness as evil.
Biblical exposition
Ed Jarrett, A Clay Jar:
• “Loving God.” [6 Oct 17] Can we love God without obeying him? [1Jn 5.3]
• “Antichrists.” [7 Oct 17] Don’t encourage those who misrepresent Christ. [2Jn 1.10-11]
• “Fellow workers.” [8 Oct 17] Support those who further Christ’s cause. [3Jn 1.8]
• “Reading and keeping the words of this prophecy.” [9 Oct 17] Don’t ignore the book of Revelation. Tackle it. [Rv 1.3]
• “Abandoning your first love.” [10 Oct 17] How many churches appear to do everything right, but for the wrong reasons? [Rv 2.4]
• “The lukewarm church.” [11 Oct 17] Jesus’s view of our churches are often quite different than ours. [Rv 3.17]
• “Heavenly worship.” [12 Oct 17] The praise round God’s throne isn’t as sedate as we might be used to. [Rv 4.9]
K.W. Leslie, Christ Almighty!: “Satan’s fall.” [13 Oct 17] Let’s put aside our popular myths about the devil’s origin, and look at how Jesus showed it to John. [Rv 12]
From the SEA archives
• “Sovereignty, not determinism.” [22 Nov 11] “Sovereign” isn’t the notion God exhaustively, meticulously determines by necessity every detail of one’s life and choices.
• “Living out Thanksgiving.” [24 Nov 11] Let’s continually give thanks to God our Father for all things, in the name of our Lord, Christ Jesus.
• “Imago Dei.” [29 May 11] God is sovereign. As images of God, so are we humans. That gives us some insight into what sovereignty accurately means.
• “Calvinist rhetoric: Idealistic abstractions.” [23 Aug 11] A great many Calvinist beliefs are based on idealism. Not so much tangible, real-world experiences, as described in scripture.
Christopher A. Hall, Christianity Today: “Back to the Fathers: A CT interview with Thomas Oden.” [24 Sep 90] In which Oden discusses how he left modernity to seek theology from an ancient (and, anachronistically, Arminian) point of view. [Paywall.]
Roger E. Olson, My Evangelical Arminian Theological Musings: “J.I. Packer and Arminianism.” [4 Nov 11] Why didn’t Olson mention Packer in his recent books? Because Packer so greatly distorts Arminianism.
Ben Witherington III, The Bible & Culture: “The Reformed view of regeneration vs. the Wesleyan theology of prevenient grace.” [18 Nov 11] Calvinists believe the lost are spiritually dead and can’t respond to the gospel unless they’re first regenerated. But the scriptures don’t describe this, but prevenient grace.
George P. Wood, Assemblies of God: “Q&A with Roger Olson.” [21 Oct 11] Wood interviews Olson about his book “Against Calvinism.”
