The Calvinist International
So I do want to point out the virtual impossibility of talking about these things without “sounding like” we might be drifting toward a problem. If the Son is the one who made the actual decision, where did the unified divine will (that which makes decisions) go? If Jesus made this as a voluntary decision, does this […]
I want to put forth an argument against Arminianism based upon an internal flaw within the Arminian scheme of predestination. My argument, simply stated: “The Arminian position on predestination is inescapably Calvinistic (of sorts). Because this is so, the only option is to embrace open theism or Calvinism.” In the sixteenth century, the Roman Catholic […]
Mark Jones wrote a fun essay last week explaining why he doesn’t like the name “Calvinism.” I agree with all of the substantive points and have made many of them myself. I also liked the playful jab at the name of this site. Good ol’ Mark. Still, I want to give a word or two […]
Writing here at the Calvinist International gives me the opportunity to argue that the name of the website should be changed. Why? Because Calvinism is an unfortunate word. Scholars should try to avoid it in most instances. Churchmen and laypeople need to be aware of the pitfalls of the word. Nonetheless, the term is here […]
In this recent post, Roger Olson has attempted a deflationary argument against any argument presented in favor of a Reformed doctrine of election. His argument seems to be that (a) we can only trust the Bible if God is trustworthy, (b) we can only be confident that God is trustworthy if He does not violate […]
In his 2003 book The Cradle King: A Life of James VI and I, Alan Stewart recounts King James VI’s encounter with the “Calvinist-tinged Lutheran” Niels Hemmingsen in Roskilde. “From Copenhagen, James moved on to the village of Roskilde on 11 and 12 March [1590], to visit the great cathedral that served as the burial place […]
Introduction Like many who consider themselves Reformed (of the “young and restless,” confessionalist, or whatever varieties), I was introduced to the world of Reformation theology through the doctrine of election. And like many within this camp (especially the “young and restless”), the doctrine of predestination composed a significant portion of my younger self’s identity. It […]
Equity makes its appearance in theological and confessional treatments, as a way of understanding the place of Old Testament law in the New Testament era. It is invoked e.g. in the Westminster Confession of Faith as such an interpretive principle. A good treatment of the theological usage of equity can be consulted here, but, there […]
Today is an important day in the history of the Church. Ok, I suppose that’s not entirely accurate; but it’s important to me, so I’m going to post about it anyway. July 29 is the anniversary of the day on which the Lutheran Niels Hemmingsen, at the time Denmark’s most famous intellectual and academic and held […]
John Calvin, commenting on 1 Cor. 10:31 (“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”), remarks that we should always be conscious of the end, or goal, of life, which is the glory of God. It may seem counterintuitive that such an end should affect even […]