Clear fair and well argued refutation of Calvinism

Olsen does what he sets out to do. Gives a fair account of Calvinism’s position and then questions whether each of the points is biblical and whether each reflects the character of God as revealed in the Bible. He makes a strong case for Arminian theology and points out the many contradictions of Calvinism. Vital reading.

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99% spot on,

Explain calvinism really well and the fault in it and bet to have some some knowledge on calvinism first

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"Out of hell the Pelagian error!"

The book's title attracted me because it was both shocking and ironically predictably in this day of freewill evangelicalism. While the author Professor Roger Olson decries the shallow nature of many Evangelicals, he surprisingly does not attempt any serious exegesis on the major disputed passages (Ezekiel 18:3, Matthew 23:37, 2 Peter 3:9, etc.) The closest Olson comes is when he makes a passing comment on 1 Timothy 2:4 ("Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth") that the Greek of 1 Timothy 2:4 "cannot be interpreted any other way than as referring to every person without limit." Yes, Professor Olson, "all means all", but what "all" is in view in this passage? When I tell my wife to get "all the children to breakfast", she immediately understands that I'm referring to "all our children", not those of the neighbours. Likewise, the "all" of 1 Timothy 2:4 can be understood by the context as referring to "all" kinds of people. This is both a biblical and ancient understanding of the text. Augustine for example comments:

“...by ‘all men,’ the human race in all its varieties of rank and circumstances, —kings, subjects; noble, plebeian, high, low, learned, and unlearned; the sound in body, the feeble, the clever, the dull, the foolish, the rich, the poor, and those of middling circumstances; males, females, infants, boys, youths; young, middle-aged, and old men; of every tongue, of every fashion, of all arts, of all professions, with all the innumerable differences of will and conscience, and whatever else there is that makes a distinction among men.”

In summary, if you are looking for a deep biblical analysis of critical texts, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Professor Olson's book is basically a shallow emotional appeal that takes a trip through church history from the times of Calvin to modern Calvinists such as R. C. Sproul. It nauseatingly asks the same question about how a sovereign God is not responsible for the choices of His creation. Look no further Professor Olson, as Romans 9:21 answers your question emphatically. It is written:

"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"

Man makes real choices for which man alone is responsible, and yet God chose to create each of us and write human history in a manner where those real choices are exactly what God desired to happen. It's not a deep theological conundrum, but something that little children understand and accept when God humbles our hearts to remember that God and man are not equals on a level playing field.

On a side note, I was deeply disappointed to read the forward by "Reformed" theologian Michael Horton. Horton writes: "Calvinists should also feel sympathy for Arminians when they are falsely accused, for example, of being 'Pelagians' who deny grace in favor of works-righteousness." Hypo-Calvinists like Mr. Horton who accept Arminianism as a valid form of Christianity would do well to stop trying to tame serpents and instead learn from the Scriptures and the Reformed Confessions.

It is written "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4.) To that Divine refutation of Arminianism we can add the words of the Reformed Confessions which condemn the Arminian view of universal atonement as speaking "contemptuously of the death of Christ, do in no wise acknowledge the most important fruit or benefit thereby gained, and bring again OUT OF HELL THE PELAGIAN ERROR" (The Canons of the Synod of Dordt, Second Head of Doctrine.)

It's small wonder why "Reformed" churches do not teach biblical reformed doctrine when we have "Calvinist" scholars writing "forwards" for books that promote the damnable heresy of Arminianism. I have little doubt that Horton would have urged Paul to sit down with the Galatian Judaizers to mutually learn from one another. To that the Apostle Paul writes "I would they were even cut off which trouble you." Cancer grows quickly Professor Horton, especially within Presbyterian Seminaries like Westminster.

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