Five Points in Five Weeks And Why They Matter

1. Five Points in Five WeeksAnd Why They Matter Tim Sisemore tsisemore@richmont.edu

2. Introductions • Why are you here? • Why am I here?

3. Goal: Tiptoeing through the TULIP

4. What is the TULIP?

5. Recent Restatement

6. 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

7. 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

8. A Brief History of the Debate

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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).

13. 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…

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

21. Why It Matters? Free Will Run Amok Process 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?

22. 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

23. So, Let’s Begin