Five Points in Five Weeks And Why They Matter

Five Points in Five WeeksAnd Why They MatterTim Sisemoretsisemore@richmont.edu

Introductions• Why are you here?

• Why am I here?

Goal: Tiptoeing through the TULIP

What is the TULIP?

Recent Restatement

Dispelling Some Myths• Actually, NOT developed by Calvin

▫Thus, we’ll track the history behind it tonight• It is NOT the way Calvin would have wanted to

present his theology▫Thus, we’ll see the context of these issues in his

“Institutes”• It does NOT start with the issue of free will

▫Though we’ll certainly get there• It is NOT about which group is saved

▫Cooler heads on both sides agree this is a family dispute

Our Ambition• Put the debate in

historical context• Detail the Five Points and

how they differ with Arminianism

• Stress the practical implications of the Calvinist position

A Brief History of the Debate

Roots in the Bible• Both sides seek to honor Scripture and

see it is as authoritative•Key is to let Scripture speak without

starting from personal presuppositions▫What “fair” means▫What “free will” means

Round 1: Augustine vs. Pelagius•Augustine: Great saint of the 5th Century

▫Bishop of Hippo▫Confessions one of greatest books ever▫Accidentally started a fight

•Augustine: “Grant what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt.”

•Pelagius responds: UNFAIR!•Augustine: Not so, we MUST have grace.

Augustine and Pelagius•The history of the battle.

▫Council of Carthage (417) denounced Pelagian views.

▫Semi-Pelagianism appeared. John Cassian said man begins the work of

salvation, but God completes it. This condemned at Synod of Orange (529). Yet, unofficially became Catholic doctrine

And key reason for the Reformation And the most common view today. Arminianism an “evolution” of the position

Round 2: John Calvin (1509-1564)•French, but settled in Geneva for most of life

as reluctant pastor.•Wrote “Institutes of the Christian Religion”.

▫Most significant theological work of the era.▫Stressed interrelatedness of knowing God and

self.▫Christian life is SELF-DENIAL.▫And, of course, believed in election (as did

Luther).

The Anabaptists: Basics•Means “rebaptizers” because opposed

infant baptism.▫Argued confession of faith should precede

•The “radical reformation”, rejecting most all of church history since the Bible.▫Felt Lutherans and Reformed did not go far

enough•But some beliefs key to their being

persecuted…

The Anabaptists: Basics•Believed:

▫Synergistic view of salvation: lots of free will and no original sin. Sins the problem rather than sin Free will decisions of individuals focal point

▫Salvation “experience” essential.▫Rejected the monergistic view of Augustine

because of stress on free will.▫Essentially the theology of James Arminius

(early 17th C.) and Arminians.

Rebuttal to Calvin: Jacob Arminius• 1560-1609• Studied under

Calvin’s successor, Beza

• Rejected Reformed views

• Followers called Remonstrants

• Calvinists replied in Synod of Dort in 1618, forming the “TULIP” as response

Key Points of Arminianism•Salvation is by grace alone•God’s election is conditional…on the faith

of the believer▫God elected all those who will believe▫Jesus died for the sins of all▫God’s saving grace can be resisted▫Salvation is lost if faith does not continue

•Thus, it is essentially Semi-Pelagianism

The Development of Arminianism•John Wesley later popularized

▫Defended it as NOT Semi-Pelagianism by belief in original sin

▫Prevenient grace enables the sinner to believe if s/he wants

▫Still held to idea one could lose salvation•Today:

▫Somehow “perseverance of the saints” borrowed from Calvinists to say you choose to be saved but can’t choose to reject faith

▫Most have returned to Semi-Pelagian rejection of original sin and see ability to believe as inherent in persons, or haven’t thought this point out well at all

Roots of the Methodists•John Wesley:

▫Part of family of 18 kids; part of “holy Club”▫Led to nickname of “Methodists” in 1729.▫May 1738 his heart “strangely warmed” at

Aldersgate (London) by Luther’s preface to Romans.

▫Led to Revival.▫Itinerant revivalist.▫Broke company with George Whitefield,

Calvinistic revivalist, because of rejection of Calvinism

Wesley’s Theology•Forcefully Arminian•Original sin solved with prevenient grace.•Man could resist Spirit and fall from

grace.•“Second blessing” of Spirit leading to

perfect sinlessness (vital point).• Yet, Wesleyan roots the reason for strong

emphasis on free will, conversions experiences, “methods” of holiness in U.S.

• 1784: Methodism officially adapts Arminianism, first denomination to do so

Modern Context•Enlightenment/modernism behind stress

on man’s ability▫Showed up in Wesley’s theology▫But later US thinking, e.g. Charles Finney

•Wesleyans were itinerant evangelists, so their ideas strong in the South

•Baptists were largely Calvinistic early on•But many have drifted to Arminian

positions▫But not Spurgeon, Piper, Carson, e.g.

Why It Matters? Free Will Run AmokProcess Theology Open Theism

• Whitehead: God is temporal, changing, and developing, creating and being created by, the world

• He’s growing along with us!

• Evangelical adaptation of process theology

• Designed as an apology for bad things

• Pinnock and others: God doesn’t know the future, changes his mind, and doesn’t control most events• Human choices surprise

him, too• Where does this leave us?

Why It Matters? Losing the Faith• American Christians buy “tolerance” so thoroughly

that they discourage articulating ANY doctrine, or at least any that might make someone uncomfortable▫But notice: as liberal positions have gained power by

paralyzing the opposition with tolerance, they are INTOLERANT (e.g., the Dan Cathy story)

• Christian love vs. tolerance• Many young people leave the faith for lack of

answers▫Good feelings/music not enough to sustain faith▫Cp. The Mormons

So, Let’s Begin