"Summary Evaluation of Arminian Theology" -- Dr. Paul Enns

Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press) 1996. | Paul Enns

[drstevej]

This summary will not doubt not please FR Arminians or FR Calvinists... but it does summarize the issues and offers some rebuttal. Paul was a member of my former congregation. He is a gracious godly man.

[Asclepius]

The data of God?s foreknowledge originates in advanced planning, not in advanced information.

Huh?

[drstevej]

Paraphrase: God foreknows because He pre-plans. Foreknowledge means more that simple foresight.

[mamelukesabre]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that "arminianism" has nothing to do with "Armenians"

[drstevej]

You are right. Arminian has to do with Jacob Arminius [1588-1609]. His views and those of his followers, the Remonstrants, were a reaction to Calvinism. John Wesley later espoused views quite similar to Arminius.

[drstevej]

I think by "necessary" you mean "important."

If so, it is important in the debate over "free will" and "predestination."

No doubt subsequent posters may elaborate much more...

[HiTech RedNeck]

One of the quirks of history that one of the greatest Calvinist preachers of all time, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, got saved when he was witnessed to by an Arminian (a lay Methodist, at that).

If anything this goes to show that God plays no favorites.

[drstevej]

The question is whether salvation is a work of God alone [Calvinism] or whether man co-operates with God in the process [Arminianism].

[drstevej]

"One of the quirks of history..."

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Interesting phrase.

[JMJ333]

All advocates of predestination, from Lucidus to Calvin, have appealed to Augustine as their crown-witness, while Catholic theologians see in Augustine's teaching at most only a predestination to glory, with which the later "negative reprobation" to hell is parallel.

In actuality, Augustine is free from Calvin's idea that God positively predestined the damned to hell or to sin. The closest he might come to backing their theory is when he talked about "irresistable grace." The antithesis and the position of the words do not refer to the terms "inevitably and unconquerably" to the grace as such, they must be referred to the "human will" which, in spite of its infirmity, is, by grace, made "unyielding and unconquerable" against the temptation to sin.

[drstevej]

"But what does this have to do with free will, foreknowledge, predestination, etc?"

Calvinism teaches that God predestines some to eternal life based on no merit in them but merely out of grace. Calvinism further teaces that the elect believe as a result of God's producing new life in them. They are regenerated and believe. Arminianism taches that God predestines to eternal life those He foresees will respond to the gospel in faith. They believe and are regenerated.

[HiTech RedNeck]

"Quirk" from man's point of view. As a "mild" calvinist myself, I believe it, just like everything else in world history, was arranged for by the Lord, yet somehow without forcing anybody to choose what they will choose. From all appearances, God likes to put quirks in history.

[drstevej]

Augustine is indeed a key figure for both Luther and Calvin. However, it was his teaching on the radically fallen nature of man was more foundational for Calvin than his teaching on predestination.

Augustine is free from Calvin's idea that God positively predestined the damned to hell...

Calvin's successor in Geneva, Theodore Beza, developes the doctrine of double predestination (which includes positively predestining the non-elect to damnation.

[drstevej]

"From all appearances, God likes to put quirks in history. "

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Indeed He does.

[drstevej]

Is there some debate or conflict that the doctrine in (#3) is supposed to resolve or address with respect to free will and foreknowledge?

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Enns statement in #3 is that the biblical term "foreknow" means more than simple advanced knowledge. The debate over God's sovereignty is impacted by this issue.

Check the religion threads if you want to see the debate / conflict in "full flower."

[drstevej]

I'll ping a few friends that will no doubt elaborate.