Thursday, January 17, 2013

Arguments for Calvinism

I have often thought that one of, if not the, greatest way to find consensus in the Calvinism/Arminianism debate would be to have all those involved listen to the preaching of the rest. Calvinism, it seems to me, provides better grounds for depending on God, and therefore allows an exhibition of his glory farther, than Arminianism does.

I am beginning to wonder about my college's theology for this reason: both of the chapels since classes started have included encouragement that God is guiding us for a good purpose, whether or not it is visibly good from where we stand, and whether or not it involves goods to us. This has been preached without any noticeable caveats about people needing to be sure to follow the Spirit's leading, rather we were encouraged to stop worrying about that. On what foundation can the president and dean of chapel at a Wesleyan, and therefore Arminian, school preach these things?

I would not be surprised if, should the concepts of free will and determinism be totally forgotten for a time, and then recovered during a time of great revival, we should find a great consensus regarding the topic. Indeed, I think we have a good deal more of a consensus than we think, as many Arminians accidentally preach what can best, if not only, be fueled by a Calvinist theology.

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