The Calvinism Debate
Calvinism is a theology that was developed by John Calvin (1509-64) in the sixteenth century. He presented this theology in his Institutes of Christian Religion, which subsequently became the cornerstone of Presbyterian and Reformed theology. It is also called TULIP theology. Calvin himself did not use the term TULIP to describe his theology, but it is an accurate, though simplified, representation of his views, and every standard point of TULIP theology can be found in Calvin’s Institutes.
Calvinistic theology was summarized into five points during the debate over the teachings of Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609). Arminius studied under Theodore Beza, Calvin’s successor at Geneva, but he rejected Calvinism and taught his non-Calvinist theology in Holland. Arminius’ followers arranged his teaching under the following five points and began to distribute this theology among the Dutch churches in 1610: (1) Free will, or human ability, (2) Conditional election, (3) Universal Redemption, or General Atonement, (4) Resistible Grace, and (5) Insecure Faith. These points were rejected at the state-church Synod of Dort in Holland in 1618-1619 (attended as well by representatives from France, Germany, Switzerland, and Britain), and this Synod formulated the “five points of Calvinism” in resistance to Arminianism. Arminius’ followers were thereafter put out of their churches and persecuted by their Calvinist brethren.
In the late 18th century, the five points of Calvinism were rearranged under the acronym TULIP as a memory aid.Continue reading this article……
Calvinism on the March
A 2007 study shows that Calvinism is on the rise in the Southern Baptist Convention and is especially prominent among recent seminary graduates. Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, says that nearly 30% of recent graduates now serving as pastors are Calvinists (“Calvinism on the Rise,” Christian Post, Nov. 29, 2007). Roughly 10% of SBC pastors at large define themselves as Calvinists, but that includes only those who hold to all five points of TULIP theology and not those who hold to sovereign or unconditional election but not necessarily to all other points of Calvinism. LifeWay Research limits their surveys to a very narrow definition of Calvinism, and I suspect it might not want to know the true influence of Calvinism in the convention.
A report in Christianity Today for September 2006 was entitled “Young, Restless, Reformed: Calvinism Is Making a Comeback--And Shaking up the Church.” It documents the rapid spread of Calvinism in Evangelical circles, and I am seeing the same thing among Fundamentalists.
Follow Up to "Calvinism on the March"
In response to the report “Calvinism on the March,” which I recently republished, a couple of men commented on the statement from a pastor who said that there is an underground of Calvinism at Pensacola Christian College.
Nick Clayton wrote:
“I cannot say with absolute certainty that there are no ‘closet Calvinists’ on campus at PCC. I can't even say with certainty that, if there are such individuals, they don't ever gather into groups and have theological discussions. What I can say is that, if there are such individuals on campus, the college certainly does not endorse their actions and if their actions came to light, the college would most definitely take action. In fact, the college most definitely HAS taken action in the past against students that were promoting Calvinism on campus. Furthermore, I can dogmatically say that NONE of the Bible/Seminary faculty espouse Calvinism, but are strongly opposed to it.”Continue reading this article……
A Warning About Calvinistic Home Schooling Materials
June 3, 2009 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -
Home schooling is an important movement in North America, and we commend the Christian parents that take the God-given responsibility to train their children seriously. We are thankful for parents that refuse to support the godless, anti-christ, morally-filthy, Darwinistic, humanistic, socialistic, psychologized, paganized, homosexualized public school system. Well does the Word of God warn, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
But we must be careful about the influence of unsound literature on young minds. Home schooling curriculums are one of the ways that Reformed Calvinist theology is spreading through independent Baptist circles. Consider some examples. The following three organizations hold to TULIP theology and reject the literal interpretation of prophecy and the pretribulational return of Jesus Christ. They hold to a replacement position which sees the church as the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.
