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Christianity Today, February, 2008 |

TULIP Blooming

Southern Baptist seminaries re-introduce Calvinism to a wary denomination.

Ken Walker | posted 1/17/2008 09:09AM

The pastor of First Baptist Church in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, for 27 years, Joe Elam only encountered Calvinism once during his ministry—and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Though forbidden to ...

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Jim	Posted: January 24, 2008 2:13 PM

It sems an odd fear that the SBC will lose its "evangelistic" approach if it embraces Reformed theology. A lot of SBC churches use Evangelism Explosion, the most successful evangelistic curriculum of the past few decades. It was written and its ministry built by Dr. D James Kennedy, a Reformed pastor in the PCA. Raised a Southern Baptist, I find that there is a lot of fear in the SBC not truly because Reformed theology leads to a false "certainty" (as Robert proposes) or to antinomianism (as Leslie contends), but rather that it requires Christians to believe the Bible and that God meant what He said when He said "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy" and Jesus, when He said "You did not choose me, but I chose you." I've met many SBC'rs who practically believe that the assurance of their faith comes not, ultimately, in God's grace, or Christ's work on the Cross, but in their own personal confession of Christ, which is a work. They stumble on Mt 7:22-23 and a lot else.

Ally K

Posted: January 23, 2008 1:11 PM

What Robert said! I am not Baptist, but I attended a Southern Baptist college. I won't say that while I was there, Calvinism grew like a cancer, but that's a pretty close analogy. It was the most divisive thing I have ever seen. As an Arminian, I was told that if I had truly "studied and shown myself approved", there was no way I could remain an Arminian. I was also told that as an Arminian, I did not believe that God is sovreign. These comments prompted further study of the scriptures and of Calvinism. I am more sure than ever that God created us as free will agents and that our destination for eternity is our choice, and that God can remain fully sovreign while giving us that choice.

PW	Posted: January 22, 2008 8:15 PM

If one desires to understand issues surrounding Arminianism, Calvinism, TULIP, Election and Predestination, etc. from opposing theological perspectives, I strongly suggest “The Potters Freedom” (TPF) by James R. White for the conservative Calvinist view and “Chosen But Free” (CBF) by Norman Geisler. White’s “TPF” was written as a rebuttal to Geisler’s “CBF”. Both extensively lay out their cases with pertinent verses we’ve all seen used and debated. To me, Geisler’s “Moderate Calvinism” (by far) makes the most sense while remaining balanced and Scripturally defensible – it AFFIRMS God’s SOVEREIGNTY as well as MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY while also exposing the heresies of both “Extreme Calvinist” views AS WELL AS THOSE OF ARMINIAN ONES. The updated version of CBF directly responds to White’s TPF most convincingly. Geisler provides perspectives of historical church fathers, key theologians like Spurgeon and Sproul as well as an EXHAUSTIVE examination of relevant Scriptures.

Doug	Posted: January 22, 2008 5:42 PM

As a Baptist Pastor and a Calvinist the idea that Calvinism diminishes evangelistic zeal is just wrong. CH Spurgeon who brought many to Christ was a Calvinist. Winfield the great evangelist was a Calvinist. Read is little book called "All of Grace" by Spurgeon and you will understand Spurgeons theology. And to say that Calvinism can be easily refuted by Scripture is just naive. Some of the best evangelical Bible scholars are Calvinists. And Terry A, if reading one book was that easy we would all be Arminians. I have read all the arguments, thorughly studied Scripture, and I'm still a Calvinist.

Tom H At Pottsville

Posted: January 22, 2008 12:44 PM

The argument that Calvinists or Sovereign Grace believers do not believe in evangelism or missions is a falsity! Rather, on either side of this debate you have people who are just plain disobedient to the clear teaching of Christ and His Apostles to go and teach all nations. You can look at the history of the church and see clearly the working, of people from both mindsets, at evangelism of the lost. And you can also sit in the congregation of both types of church and see people who do not obey the commnad. In both churches the comand from the pulpit is to be REPENT! and COME TO CHRIST! But if you see a preacher who will not exhort his listeners to repent and believe the Gospel; know that he is not fulfilling his charge. It is not a sign that he is a Calvinist! I'm a sovereign grace believer, a calvinist, and I'm a member at a calvinist Baptist church. We preach THE CROSS Of CHRIST! REPENT! BELIEVE! And we have a MISSION TRIP to Mexico this year. Arminian! How do you account for this?!

Tim H

Posted: January 21, 2008 4:38 PM


Don't Arminianist also believe the "Left Behind" series is true?

Sid	Posted: January 21, 2008 10:46 AM

I'm a layman, not an educated theologian or anything like that. But I firmly trust and believe the Bible with all my heart, and the teachings of John Calvin, R.C. Sproul, John Piper, and other faithful men such as they are. To me the very simple truths of Scripture regarding election are certainly found in the writings of Paul to the Ephesians especially in Chapters 1 and 2. Especially chapter one versus 4-8 and vs. 11. Also in Chapter 2 versus 8 for instance, where we are plainly told that we are saved by grace alone, through faith and that salvation is a gift of God, again, plain and simple as to how we are saved. God works in us to draw us unto Himself, see John 6:43, 44, and 65. Yes, God places desire in the heart of every man He has chosen to come to Himself and to be saved. Please read especially 2 Thess. 2:13-14 also. BELIEVE THE GOSPEL DEAR BROTHERS!

Chuck Warnock

Posted: January 20, 2008 9:43 PM

It's amazing to me that the best we can do for theological imagination is to resurrect a 500-year old argument of God's sovereignty versus man's free will. I just finished reading a book on Orthodox theology which states that the Orthodox Church embraces both God's sovereignty and humanity's cooperation as inseparable pieces of the same pie. Actually, they didn't use the "pie" analogy, that is mine, but you get the idea. Maybe there are more than two options, folks.

Paul	Posted: January 19, 2008 11:18 PM

I would like to respond to Leslie. You said that some Calvinists "think election means you don't have to follow Jesus's commands, or that there's no point in evangelism". That is a huge straw man! I keep hearing these kind of comments but I personally have never met, nor have I read of a Calvinist today who believes that way. I would like to see the straw men cease and instead ask anti-calvinists to start discussing the doctrines of grace biblically. They will have a much harder time doing that than they will raising up straw men and blowing them down.

Phil	Posted: January 19, 2008 4:33 PM


Mr. Page must have skipped his seminary classes on Baptist history or, knowing that a cursory overview would lead him to have to eat his words, believes that church history is unimportant. To say that he is unimpressed with arguments that the most of the convention's founders embraced reformed ideas, Mr. Page exposes his own biases and makes an unflattering display of pride.

Gary	Posted: January 19, 2008 1:21 PM

Reformed Theology teaches the twin truths of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility because that is what the Bible teaches. What does the SBC do with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith, which is one of the most important Reformed confession of faith in the English language? Critics of Reformed Theology do themselves no favor by mischaracterizing the Doctrines of Grace; because they won't be taken seriously.

Marc Glass

Posted: January 18, 2008 3:06 PM


Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."

Linda

Posted: January 18, 2008 2:57 PM


I don't think that Reformed thinking would hinder evangelism (at least it shouldn't), but I do caution those into Reformed theology not to turn Reformed thinking into an idol. There are many great Christians who are Reformed in their Bible interpretation, but there are also those who come across as Reformed first and Christian second (a distant second).

GeneMBridges

Posted: January 18, 2008 2:40 AM

The statements in this thread are interesting. "Unbelief is the only sin that sends people to hell." If that's true, and Jesus died for our sins, what Scriptures exempt unbelief from those sins that He atoned? Why does the Bible say men are condemned to hell for their sins. Folks, y'all are defending ecclesiastical tradition here. "Extreme Calvinism?" One wonders if anybody has read James White's detailed rebuttal to Geisler's work? Calvinists believe God sends people to hell "Himself" apart from sin? Which Calvinists? The Supralapsarians? That's a minority position, and if you'd bother to understand it, you'd know they deny it. Free will an illusion? We Calvinists deny libertarian free will, not free will. Have you ever consulted the 2nd London Bap.Confession? Jesus died for "the world." Which world? There are many content dependent definitions, but they say, "all means all," yes, but "all" is a quantifier and relative to a group. Learn the intention/extension fallacy.

Darren

Posted: January 17, 2008 11:32 PM


Philip has provided some of the typical "strawman" responses to Reformed Theology (aka - Calvinism). I am glad that he mentioned Norman Geisler's "Chosen But Free". James R. White wrote a fair, and devasting critique of Geisler's work. Please read "The Potter's Freedom" by James White before casting ignorant emotional responses like the one that Philip just posted.

Brian J. Mann

Posted: January 17, 2008 10:01 PM

We are not going to see unity on this issue if history says anything about previous controversies concerning the sovereignty of God and the free-will of man. Mentioning either term, and especially the term Calvinism is a sure fight in the SBC these days. The issue is really do we believe that God is the Savior or not; and are men really dead in their sins; and does the Holy Spirit really work to bring us to Christ; and is it true that some people will spend eternity in hell (meaning that not everyone is saved); and does God provide a faith that will not fail unto the end???? These are questions relating to the issues that Calvinism brings up. If one preaches about dead men coming to life through the power of the Holy Spirit and being saved from God's wrath and hell and the misery of sin being enabled to fight the fight of faith unto the end like Paul did people would rejoice! Is this not the real Gospel?

K.W. Leslie

Posted: January 17, 2008 9:10 PM

The only beef I have with some Calvinists is that some of them think election means you don't have to follow Jesus's commands, or that there's no point in evangelism, or that free will is irrelevant or an illusion, or that if you aren't a five-point Calvinist you're going to hell. Most of them know better and I have no problem with them so long that we're all following Jesus, we're all humbly seeking His truth, and we're loving one another like He wants.

Mike	Posted: January 17, 2008 8:55 PM

In this article that is rampant with stereotypes, perhaps what is most frustrating and sad to me is the view that Reformed theology leads to a lack of zeal for evangelism. As an upholder of Reformed theology, I would love to see us Reformed Christians once again combine our heads and our hearts and reach out to the lost around us. After all, the Reformed thinker that we hold in highest regard--John Calvin--believed so strongly in missions that his blessed Geneva was a missionary outpost and training ground, sending thousands of missionaries into France.

Michael C.

Posted: January 17, 2008 8:11 PM

Wow, Ted surely doesn't understand limited/effectual atonement. Of course, He is among many who have a straw man understanding of reformed theology. What is troubling to me is that in a world of amazing church leaders in the SBC, a petty thing like Calvinism/Armenianism could possibly be such a hot topic. Shame on them. Keep at it and you will be sure to drive everyone under the age of 40 even further into liberal theology and the American trend of "moralistic, therapeutic deism." Grow up, teach the Bible, love the people Christ died for (that would be all), and disciple those whom He has called (those would be the elect). God bless, grow deep, serve till death.

Roger - Australia

Posted: January 17, 2008 7:51 PM

If more Christians actually studied the Scriptures for themselves, rather than relying on easy-believism as taught by Rick Warren, Osteen, etc, they would realise that the Bible clearly teaches predestination, election and total depravity of the unregenerate soul. Dr Bruce Ware, an excellent theology teacher who was raised in the Arminian tradition, states that a great number of Christians start out Arminian and then become more Calvinist as they study the Bible more. Reformed thought reflects the Biblical text, whereas Arminianism reflects what we fallible and finite humans think is 'fair'. I know which I would prefer - the former - even if it doesn't always sit comfortably with me (I was also raised in an Arminian church and my wife is still very much Arminian in her beliefs - makes for interesting discussions in the home!). 1 Cor 1:23 reminds us that Scripture is often 'a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles'. The doctrine of salvation is obviously no different.

Ted Voth Jr

Posted: January 17, 2008 6:54 PM

Where in helln did the nasty little heresy of 'Limited Atonement' come from? What petty vicious mean-spirited little demon ever dreamed it up? What a blasphemy of the LORD of Hosts, Whose Glory is the fulness of the whole creation! paul argues that the whole creation is groaning under our present subjection! It's impossible that if He extends Grace to all the cosmos else besides humanity, somehow He can exclude part of humanity. And if He could, would you love and want to serve such a nasty little godling as that? God forbid! The God of Grace have Mercy on us!

Luke	Posted: January 17, 2008 6:50 PM

I must say just one to Guy Neddo. You mentioned that the Bible does not say that faith is a gift from God. It most surely does: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God..."Ephesians 2:8-9. Hebrews 12:2 "looking to Jesus, the FOUNDER and perfecter of our faith...". Different translations will use different words..."author", "creator". They all mean the same thing. Who made our faith? Who 'authored' our faith? Who 'created' our faith? Jesus did, we did not. I'm glad you call yourself a calminian, but I encourage you (and everyone else) to take a humble and serious look into some respected calvinists authors on the subject. I would highly recommend John Piper, but there are many others. What I have found over the last few years is that what some think is a blend of Calvinism and Arminianism is really just Calvinism, just distorted or misunderstood. I will echo the author, "lets go to the Bible.' Eph 1; Romans 9.

TJ	Posted: January 17, 2008 6:42 PM


Guy, So where do you think faith comes from?

Philip

Posted: January 17, 2008 6:05 PM

"Extreme Calvinism" (ECs - Norman Geisler's term in his extraordinary book, "Chosen But Free") is a dark, depressing and ultimately unBiblical belief system. God is a God of LOVE, MERCY, KINDNESS and JUSTICE Who absolutely CANNOT go against His nature - does anyone out there truly believe that such a God of LOVE would create MILLIONS only capable of tragic lives of misery and THEN spend ETERNITY in fiery damnation? Does THIS match up with His character? And why does Scripture CONTINUOUSLY acuse and berate non-believers for their refusal to believe IF THEY WERE INCAPABLE OF BELIEF TO BEGIN WITH??? If that is the case, God has created millions to only be capable of rebellion against Himself. And WHO made Satan sin? ANSWER THAT!!! ECs read into Scripture words NOT there - "ALL men .... WHOEVER believes in Him (etc)" peversely becomes only The Elect. To fit the Tulip, ECs MUST ADD to the PLAIN meaning of COUNTLESS Scriptures. Yet, if I were to say ONLY SOME men have fallen short ...

Guy Neddo

Posted: January 17, 2008 2:52 PM

Study of the Bible certainly leads to a mixed report on Calvin/Arminain theology. Maybe that is why I am a Calminian! Having read Calvin when I was in France shows that JohnC. was not 100% a calvinist ! Since the Word of God never says anywhere that Faith is a gift of God, then why do extreme Calvinists make the claim? They say they "follow the Bible"! Roger Olson has written a book clear and precise on the subject--let the SBC leasders read and digest!

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