list of non calvinist theologians list of non calvinist theologians

But for the most part, until I started studying apologetics, I didnt really care about the supposed differences and still dont except to understand but not as a means of division. Under that, Calvins page count is over 2400 pages of theological system, over TEN TIMES the length of a typical genre novel of the Seventies, over FIVE TIMES the length of a typical paperback today, and at least 2/3 the length of the Lord of the Rings. And if you reject the doctrine as it has been historically understood (like the guy at my church), then at least you are wrestling with a time tested theology, not a new fad, and wrestling with time tested theology can only help you grow as a Christian. This was the feeling my wife and I got upon entering the world of neocalvinism in 2008. If I had to pick one thing about them that signals danger to me, though, it would be what they dont act on, which is all those chickified wishy-washy decaffy gay things Jesus (and subsequently the apostles) said about love being The Main Thing. I will never forget hearing so many Christians actually try to reason that we have to accept, even rejoice, that this must have been Gods plan for these precious young people. I just checked my Google News and there was an Associated Press story marking 20 years since Al Mohler took over SBTS. Many of us had grown up in non-Christian households and did not know many Christians. LOLGod works in mysterious and wonderful ways! I had no intention of saying that non Calvinists read the scriptures to suit their own fancy. I intended to contrast believers (Cal and non-Cal) who base their opinions on their reading of Scripture, and believers (Cal and non-Cal) who base their opinions on their own counsel, on what they *feel* is true. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.. I told her that we, as non-Calvinists, have to move beyond what we believe is the logical conclusion of their argument (God orchestrating evil and pain) and try to understand that somehow Calvinists, who suggest a God who allows for abuse, is actually a God of love. Did you see my comment in the post about a nice Calvinist? The 5 pillars of calvinism are not found in these creeds. whats so complicated about that? Does not compute. Contemporary Famous Calvinists: D.A. I had planned to say the same thing to him. (It had seemed strange to pay for a gift. However, Jesus entered our dimension and exists now outside of our dimension. Can we not make allowance for Gods ways to be different from ours? And really, in the end, if a doctrine about the majesty and greatness of God doesnt comfort traumatized people (among all the needy humans out there), then of what real use is it? I think that is why it is good that Dee/Deb use the term Cavinista. 2. Some of his hearers might have been scared as, uh, heck. It is not love to push Calvin. Ive not asked anyone to agree with me. For my part, I DO understand why people look at Calvinism and reject it. The writers did claim to believe much the same, though, even that church and state should work together with the church ruling and the state enforcing church rule. Jeff S (and B for that matter), you sound like a good and kind man and a thoughtful speaker. I think it means that God is aware of every molecule (which He created, of course), and that none of them escapes His will. I told her that I disagree with John Piper's take on this situation. But never, ever did it raise anything except a good discussion. Thats not counting all the wives of elders, deacons, and Christian men in general. So done with neat little systems with all the ends tucked in, thats not where my hope is anymore. +++++++++++++++++. Probably about 0.27 Pinkie Pies worth. Why is Calvin even part of the discussion, period? Its like asking the old question: Can God create a rock to heavy for Him to throw? I hope that alone will entice some to read it. Now I believe it and I think its what scripture teaches, but how in the world can it be necessary and central to the Gospel if the church didnt even think about it in earnest for 1500 years? I will say that as a fairly new Lutheran, I have REALLY been blessed by the attitude that as a woman, I am relating directly to Christ and am responsible for my own theology. Even if we say we agree in the fundamentals/indisputables Calvinism makes it clear, and both Jeffs have admitted, that there is no human agency capable of understanding truth fully. @ JeffB: Calvinist believe in the total depravity of man while Arminians hold to an idea dubbed "partial depravity." Calvinism: Because of the Fall, man is totally depraved and dead in his sin. Yes, I believe that what were on earth mainly to do is bring glory to God, and our salvation and love for others is a part of that. God can do that. Resistance is futile.. It is entirely congregationally driven, so the church votes on pastors, and votes on board members (elders), not the other way around. And honestly, it doesnt upset me when they do. Someone on another blog (I think it was another blog, unless I saw it here earlier) posted a link to this video. Im concerned with the preoccupation of defending Calvin when someone is hurting. Never once did I hear the word Calvin. We will briefly survey these five points of disagreement and . I am not wrong. I do believe that some brands have harmful elements that bring extra despair as if every day life doesnt bring enough. Could the person have simply avoided it and gone to someplace else without even making the comment? Here is my point as a non-theology major. That said, I am in the Non-Calvinist-non-Arminian camp (currently in a Mennonite church, but not an ethnic Mennonite), so I label myself Anabaptist to describe my neither-or in terms of Arminian/Calvinist. God is bigger than us and is beyond our understanding except for some basics. There wasnt so much in your face going on. Does not compute. Id like to comment on one: Accept that Calvinists find peace in trusting that God has orchestrated even the specific tragedies in life. Your next sentence is They do not understand why this brings others great pain.. God is NOT in control. The people you refer to are not hard-bitten Marxists or Dawkinsists; they ardently profess Christian faith and judge you in Jesus own name. This is simply human and not related to social faux pas. In general, my beliefs do align with RC Sproul. By which they really mean: God hasnt given you the grace to perceive; or, as my mother in law likes to say to end all discussion I just know that I know that I know. In fact, I would go so far as to say I think its unbiblical. I always try to be sensitive, and Ive communicated before that I agree that theology should take a backseat. Your blog has been extremely helpful to me as well, in sorting many things out. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, (You must log in or sign up to post here. Those who fell outside the box and had to be pushed away Their approach goes like this: You heretic! FWIW, Ive run across many Calvinists (not teachers) who misunderstand Total Depravity. But its brought up a lot, so what am I supposed to do? And even if God has blessed them, more often that not, Gods blessing is a resource, not a reward. Thanks for the kind words; I can only hope that they are at least partially true. Agree that you cant really know, truth, and as such you can have NO basis for denying their doctrine. In addition to Dees remarks on unity, Id also like to add the following: we all accept the historic Christian creeds of the early church (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian). Once we agree that all ideas have the exact same chance of being wrongwe have merely held the door open for ANOTHER, and even more sinister and vicious, arbiter of truth to be released: the power of the keys, which is nothing more than the power of DESTRUCTIONand with this, the powers that be continue to be the powers that be. Buuuuuut the problem with this is that trying to pin a Calvinist down on what doctrines they actually believe is like trying to hold a wriggling cat using hands stuck in oven mitts (not that wed be putting the cat in the overgross, and, uh, cruel). I dont think so, but Im pretty sure Spock was a Calvinist. Apollos! discussions. Conceding, of course, that this was an English translation, not Latin or French. Im not trying to imply that you have never done the later. Is some parts of the word more important than other parts? John Calvin, Paul Helm John Calvin W. Robert Godfrey Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing gospel-centered, Bible-centered content. . How many blogs do you know that feature writers or pastorswho have significant differences in soteriology from the blog owners? In that case they are probably reading an interpretation of what Calvin actually wrote. I have the utmost respect for my long-time regular reader and pastor who happens to be Calvinist, Craig Vick, who posted the following comment on my blog article where I was struggling with the doctrinal/abuse confusion: For what its worth, from now on Ill make sure I think of your story and the stories of others before I express my theology. Meyer 17. You may be sad that we all dont get what you get about Calvinism (and Im sad that you dont see it my way lol), but we dont need to dwell there. In any case, though, youre right. The bullying was behind the scenes. LOLI am much more hyper in my comments than they are. people who call themselves Calvinist have never really read Calvin. I do hope when I sad that comment, I said illogical TO ME, as in general I hesitate to call other people views illogical. I will post about this. In what way it is wrong needs to be determined. I read CS Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and many others. Ah yes, those were the days A friend of mine came to the Lord while living in the hills above Santa Barbara in a teepee and smoking a lot of pot He and his wife were some of the most sane, grounded people I knew in the 80s. God doesnt have internal conflicts, though sometimes the Bible portrays it this way to make a point.. Inevitably, then, youll sometimes find restless young men who want to make a name for themselves (and who hasnt been there) (other than restless young women) will take the idea and make it a point of honour to run as far as they can with it. Lin wrote: There is too much work to be done. It was you! As a Catholic, I learned that if someone told me they were Christian, I accepted their word. Why the pessimism? Just an observation. I will never go back to Calvinism because I cant recall a single moment that I felt any certainty of Gods love for me in that system. I have read at his site just a little bit and so far have found many of his thoughts very satisfying on all levels. The ranks of well-known Arminians include historical and current day Roman Catholics, the Remonstrants of the 17th century and John and Charles Wesley. I had found the light. HERE AHURA-MAZDA, THERE AHRIMAN!. In a faith that is centered on love, (What greater love is this?) it is hard for me to understand why abused people are so often further destroyed by that faith as presented by others. And toss in a side dish of I cant be wrong. The guy wearing glasses in the video gave an interesting explanation, though he chose to use the Fall in the Garden, rather than a more contemporary example. If we get to where we can podcast, Ill drop you a link. But I urge you to be careful in trying to correct what you see as a misunderstanding especially if the person you are correcting has dealt with abuse. I am currently reading Roger Olson's book, Against Calvinism. My hubby got his first spiritual stirrings while watching a live performance of, Jesus Christ Superstar. Instead we have to accept that we don't understand their paradigm and choose to believe that they love God and believe that they are faithfully serving Him. Can God repair things? How one can be labeled an Arminian after a decade and a half as an SGM bobblehead is beyond me. Reformed Theology, Rooted in the Bible. I have come to understand that my experience in some great non-Calvinist churches is not the norm. To me, being fed pat answers is more analogous to being fed sawdust because fibre is good for you. He didnt say to have faith in the Reformation, or Tulip, or Keller, or your pastor/elder, husband, or Mary. Wow. An infant does not want, nor desire steak. This can apply to spiritual things, to living life with God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. The promises are over the top. I want us non-Calvinists to figure out how to get along with our Calvinist brothers and sisters. I never minded using it in the past because it was just a shorthand for my views on what it means to be saved by grace; I wasnt really arguing with anyone, and I figured as shorthand, it was alright. Understand that they think we are as illogical as we think they are illogical. When I, a Calvinist (as much as would prefer not to wear the title), hear someone say Calvinism is evil, yes I want to defend it. He is married with two children. Brings to mind the documentary This Emotional Life I saw on PBS. I think many. Hunt, Finney, Hyles, and Billy Graham would number in the non (anti)-calvinists that I personally have less respect for. He remarked that our theology was illogical. You can even put your feet up I dont mind! They alone have truth in ALL things, by Gods special revelation. In fact, I recently wrote a song about it- some of the lyrics (this song could be titled ode to John Piper and his views on Divorce and Remarriage, but I did not quite go that far): So many people with big ideas who have it all figured out If the Bible is Gods Word, and we are capable of understanding it, where else can we go to answer the deeper questions except to ourselves? I guess a lot of folks dont really know that its possible to be non-Calvinist but emphatically not Arminian. They are his laws; they are not independent in nature. Apparently Imade some remark that all infants who die go to heaven. The Baptist tradition is one of the most diverse in Protestant Christianity. In my mind its all about power. Do you share these thoughts? Im not saying thats being done intentionally- that is why Im seeking to clarify what I (and others with similar beliefs) believe. And its a big enough issue that RC Sproul re-badges it to Radical Corruption. Far better, in my opinion, to grieve openly and honestly, and know that the God of all compassion weeps with us. With a long-dead Calvin as Cult Leader? Right thinking about what God himself teaches us about himself, us, our world, and salvation matters deeply. He once called Wesley an inconsistent Calvinist. 1) That article. This never seemed hard to understand to me. @ Jeff S: I understand, and realize that you *do* wrestle with this as do we all, to a greater or lesser degree. CALVIN!. Jeff, whether it was my misperceptions or real perceptions of the doctrine that you hold dear to your heart, someone trying to correct my faulty ideas of Calvinism isnt going to benefit me whatsoever if I am at the emotional/spiritual end of my rope. I hold you in high esteem. @ Argo: These accusations are often followed by the fact that although they cant explain away the opposing verses, nonetheless they know their view is the truth. But there are reasons not to make it an issue. This reminds me of what the guy in the videos (Refuting Calvinism video series) was saying in one video. Pg 75 However, because of this experience, I was soon led to Christ by a mainstream believer. Thanks for the link to the article on Sproul, Jr. As many are probably thinking, what would Sproul, Sr. have to say about this? This one may sound like ad hominem at first blush, but I mean it more as an observation of the . 8520 / YR. New Geneva Theological Seminary - Colorado. FWIW, I dont consider any Arminian (see link to chart above) a non-believer. Now I dont see either of those reflected in what I know of historic Calvinism (and both are directly addressed in the WCF), but if some people want to say they believe those things, then those people are in error for believing them because they are unbiblical, not because they are unCalvinistic. Of course, this is an attempt of a finite mind to describe the infinite, so it cant be perfectly accurate. Hopefully that will be winding down soon and Ill be able to get back on track this week or next. The fervor of thismovement reminds me of theearly, heady days oftheJesus movement. William Hendriksen (18 November 1900 - 12 January 1982) was a New Testament scholar and . Do arminians believe in salvation through faith? As you can imagine, though, I am still reeling from the Aug. 4 diagnosis. Yes, some would slip away. I hear the person, Calvin, discussed more than Jesus. I hear the word gospel placed in front of all primary and secondary issues. Im concerned with the preoccupation of defending Calvin when someone is hurting. I'd also add Thomas Cranmer to that group (leader of the English Reformation, author of the Book of Common Prayer, and most of the 39 Articles) 7. Since so many Calvinists believe everything in this life is decreed, it would mean that God decreed you to write/create this blog from before the foundations of the world, so how can they object to you doing so? Plus I had never heard of tongues). We are brothers and sisters in Christ. IMO he has helped destroy the Southern Baptist Convention, but no one dare tell him this. I find that to be an amazing God thing. I think this is true. I witnessed a weird detachment with this thinking, and people almost having to downplay love or relationship with others.. He is to me, and that in spite of my categorical rejection of most of what he believes. For non-Calvinists, this can get very confusing since each claims that theirs is the real interpretation of Calvin. LL.B (Hons) London, CLP. Nope. No, not a few verses, and not Calvin, but what Scripture says consistently about election, predestination, Gods omniscience and omnipotence, Gods love, etc.? (an extremely brief synopsis:) However, for thosewho believe that evangelical churches are theologically light, my church experiences would challenge their assumption. In some respects we all do that.