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    Against Calvinism: Rescuing God's Reputation from Radical Reformed Theology
    Against Calvinism: Rescuing God's Reputation from Radical Reformed Theology
    Against Calvinism: Rescuing God's Reputation from Radical Reformed Theology
    Audiobook9 hours

    Against Calvinism: Rescuing God's Reputation from Radical Reformed Theology

    Written by Roger E. Olson

    Narrated by Maurice England

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    About this audiobook

    Calvinist theology has been debated and promoted for centuries. But is it a theology that should last? Roger Olson suggests that Calvinism, also commonly known as Reformed theology, holds an unwarranted place in our list of accepted theologies. In Against Calvinism, readers will find scholarly arguments explaining why Calvinist theology is incorrect and how it affects God’s reputation. Olson draws on a variety of sources, including Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience, to support his critique of Calvinism and the more historically rich, biblically faithful alternative theologies he proposes.Addressing what many evangelical Christians are concerned about today—so-called “new Calvinism,” a movement embraced by a generation labeled as “young, restless, Reformed” —Against Calvinism is the only book of its kind to offer objections from a non-Calvinist perspective to the current wave of Calvinism among Christian youth. As a companion to Michael Horton’s For Calvinism, readers will be able to compare contrasting perspectives and form their own opinions on the merits and weaknesses of Calvinism.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan Academic
    Release dateOct 25, 2011
    ISBN9780310575931
    Author

    Roger E. Olson

    Roger E. Olson (Ph.D., Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is the author of The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology (from which this volume is excerpted), The Story of Christian Theology and The Mosaic of Christian Belief.

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    Reviews for Against Calvinism

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    • 5/5
      A must read for every calvinist or anyone who struggles with the horrible logical conclusions of the calvinist doctrines.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books on the topic out there
    • 5/5
      Amazing book, I think that represents a lot of objections that many of non-calvinists have(me included). I think that "For Calvinism" by Michael Horton must be read first, then read this one. Either way, both books are good companions for studying the matter and offer interesting views about it. This is a true example of loving each other inside a disagreement. After reading both, I must say that I'm even more convinced of not being a calvinist(neither an arminian, even if I agree a bit more with them). No matter your position in the topic, just read it
    • 2/5
      If you are a calvinist, as I am, I would in some way recommend you to read this book. I’ve read it twise now. However, if you’re already agains calvinism, I wouldn’t recommend it. It would then only be throwing wood to your fire. And often, in cases like this, you don’t check if the wood is actually good for the fire if you just want the fire to burn. I know cause I did that myself when I was against calvinism.
      I wanted to belive that the authors intentions was not to misrepresent (and the beginning of the book really gives that impression) But still he does. And sometimes in a serious way. Especially when he more than once misreprecents R.C Sproul and almost indicates that he must be a hyper calvinist. The author often leaves out the context or explaining what Sproul intended. If he had, he wouldn’t be able to use that as an attacking point. So I don’t know if that is intentional misleading or just ignorance.
      The author also insist that if you are a calvinist, you do belive in double predestination. Even if you say you don’t and give an answer of why. His conclution seems to be based on his own emotional (lack of) logic in this matter. So it ends up as a sad misrepresentation. There are many more misrepresentations like this. And that type of wood is defently not good for your fire. And unfortunately, it is not normal for us people to check the wood as long as we can feed the fire with whatever.
      He says that the intention of the book is to point out the weaknesses and fatal flaws of calvinism (radical, reformed theology) and why it is not biblically, theologically or logically tenable. I do, however, notice how he does not, in general, use Scripture as support to why the calvinist say what they say. Neither does he, in general, use Scripture to support his refutation of the calvinistic view.
      As I see it, the author ends up giving us his subjective, philosophical argument summed up in: «If God is loving and good, he could not have done it this way»
      So, if you are a calvinist and you know why you are, I would recommend you to read this and let your view be challenged. Don’t walk in an echo chamber. This book is in some way a good book and there are some points that we calvinists should take into consideration. I just wished he would be against calvenism for what calvenism is and not for what he think it is and want it to be. Be blessed!
    • 3/5
      I have become more and more convinced that only reading the thoughts and opinions of people you already agree with is a sure route to arrogance and ignorance. God's Word is inerrent but my interpretation of His Word is very susceptible to flaw and mistake.

      I do not hide the fact that I hold to the doctrines of God's sovereign grace in the salvation of sinners, and to Calvinism as a theological framework of Scripture. That being said, I am not inerrant. Calvin was not inerrant. Edwards, Owen, Berkhoff, Horton, Piper and even Sproul (GASP!!) are not inerrant. They very well could be mistaken on many aspects of truth, and I felt it would do me well to consider the opposing view on important matters.

      Enter Roger Olson and his new book, Against Calvinism(published in pair with Michael Horton's, For Calvinism). I have heard of Olson from friends and trusted that this would be a readable introduction to Arminian objections to Calvinist doctrine.

      Praise God, I was correct. This was exactly what I thought it would be. A concise, readable and fair(if a bit caricaturistic at points) counter to "radical reformed"(Olson) thought.
      Olson takes the reader through the U,L and I of the Calvinist TULIP, spending most of his time arguing against the Calvinist doctrine but also littering in some proactive arguments of Arminian interpretation of these issues.

      I want to commend this book to the inquiring reader, but I do have some reservations I want to put forth first. At times, Olson's tone feels condescending. I am not sure if it is simply because I disagree with a majority of what he is saying, inserting a negative tone where it is really not. Also, it feels at time like he purposely misses the point of a Calvinist interpretation so he can further propulgate a misrepresentation(something he accuses Sproul of doing not 3 paragraphs after one transgression of his own).

      Beyond this, Olson seems to hold opponents to a higher standard in their use of analogy than he does himself and elevates certain aspects of God(ie, love) over all others while accusing the "radical reformed" of doing the very same thing. Olson does not seem willing to embrace the fact that his own theology has shortcomings, but I am not sure if this is an indictment of the book because it may be simply beyond the scope of the text to engage any pitfalls in Arminianism.

      The greatest shortcoming of the book is the shortcoming I see in Arminian theology. In it(the book and Arminianism), God seems bound to the will of man and God's revelation seems bound to human understanding. Both of these are great stumbling blocks to me. However, Olson does highlight some issues in "radical reformed" thought that are worth investigating and possbibly reforming.

      So, all this being said, please read this book. If you are completely unfamiliar with Calvinism, maybe Horton's For Calvinism would be a prerequsite to better know where the author interprets facts rather than just reporting facts. But read it.

      Read it knowing the author has an agenda. Read it knowing the author is a believer and is very educated in reformed thinking. Read it and test the claims by Scripture, not emotion or logic, but by God's very Word. Against Calvinism, even in the areas where I believe it is greatly flawed, is well worth the time you will invest in reading it.
    • 4/5
      I am a recovering Calvinist. I was, for about 12 years a staunch Calvinist. I wasn't Reformed. There is a difference. But, I was, for all intents and purposes, a full five-point Calvinist. I spent many years vigorously debating and defending it against my non-Calvinist friends. In fact, I even wrote a sizable paper defending all five points of Calvinism while in seminary to which I received a good grade. Nobody could convince me of any other way. I was a proud five-point Calvinist. However, as I grew in faith I began to see some things that bothered me, its theology, the people that ascribed to it, and the teachers and authors that espoused these views. Instead of truly believing all five points, I now found myself wrestling with verses and passages in Scripture that seemingly contradicted these points. I was now trying to convince myself rather than genuinely believing in this theology. Furthermore, I began to see the inherent exclusivity and the arrogance of many leaders and authors of this "Young, Restless, and Reformed" group. I saw a lack of humility and a form of masculine Christianity that really began to trouble me. Over time, as I began to explore an Arminian view of things, I found it much easier to reconcile with Scripture and my own faith. I saw a humility in those who ascribe to Arminianism that I didn't see with my Reformed/Calvinist brothers. And, most of all, it was a theology that included anyone and everyone. About two years ago as my faith evolved and I more or less abandoned most of my Calvinist views, I was met with anger and hostility from many of my Reformed/Calvinist friends. Two of which I am no longer friends with not by my choice, but by their own admission. One has since apologized and asked for forgiveness. Nevertheless, he keeps his distance. I have been called everything from a "heretic" to a "bleeding heart liberal" by my former Calvinist/Reformed friends. And, I gladly accepted these labels if it meant I can be absolved from being any part of this group. I have since moved on to understanding and studying other views and theologies, which more or less lean toward Arminianism. But, I am still troubled by Calvinism; the exclusivity, arrogance, argumentative nature, and machismo it breeds amongst my Christian brothers and sisters in Christ. And, while I do not dismiss everything Calvinist, I hope that it is just a passing fad within the American church.I was interested in hearing from a notable Bible scholar like Roger Olsen about why he is against Calvinism. He seems to be one of the few outspoken critics of the Calvinist onslaught that has seemingly permeated evangelical Christianity with a vengeance. Olsen approaches this task with humility and states from the very beginning that he typically does not approach debate in this manner. Much of what I have found written in "Against Calvinism" is what I had already suspected is wrong with Calvinism or high-Calvinism. Olsen takes great care in defining high-Calvinism from its own sources. He then carefully refutes Calvinism utilizing Scripture, reasoning, and the many contradictions found within Calvinism itself.Olsen first touches upon the subject of God's sovereignty, which Calvinists seem to hold an extremely high view of. Calvinism essentially claims that everything, down to the minutest detail is divinely orchestrated by the hand of God. Although Calvinists will deny it, they also believe that God is the author of sin and evil... that God essentially uses sin and evil as a part of His grander plan to bring about glory to Himself. This is called Divine Determinism. Piper and Sproul are two contemporary Calvinists who espouse this view. They believe that catastrophes, crimes, and other heinous acts of evil are all foreordained and known by God; that these events are actually permitted and orchestrated by God to temper and refine the Christian and for the purpose of God's glory.The next subject Olsen tackles is the issue of Unconditional Election... or double predestination. The dilemma is that if God elects some to eternal salvation, then He must surely elect others to eternal damnation. Some Calvinists claim that God chooses His elect and merely passes over others resulting in eternal damnation. John Wesley called this doctrine "blasphemous". This doctrine makes God into a monstrous, unloving, and unjust god that contradicts His own nature as defined in Scripture, especially through the person as revealed in Jesus Christ. This, not to mention the fact that God desires all to be saved and did everything in His own power to offer the free gift of eternal life to all who believe.After Unconditional Election, Olsen then addresses the issue of Limited Atonement. Perhaps the most pressing sticking point found in all of Calvinism and the reason many often revert to 4-point Calvinism. The idea behind Limited Atonement is that Jesus died on the cross and atoned for the sins not for the world, but for only those with whom God has elected. Olsen ascertains that this doctrine cannot be supported by Scripture and the tradition of Christian belief. It completely contradicts the love of God, making Him not only partial but hateful toward the non-elect. Instead, Christ died and atoned for the sins of the whole world, but the agent of human free will determines if whether a person receives the free gift of salvation or not.The last conundrum that Olsen addresses is the issue of Irresistible Grace, otherwise known as effectual grace and sometimes referred to as Monergism. The premise is that salvation is all of God's doing from beginning to end with no cooperation from the person because he is unable to come to repentance and faith on his own volition. Therefore, God bends the elect person's will so that he or she wants to come to Jesus with repentance and faith and cannot possibly resist this will. Calvinist use John 6:44 for biblical support. On the other hand, the Scriptures are too numerous to list that show man has a choice. While God does indeed draw people unto Himself, it is not by force. Therefore, man has a choice to either accept or reject the grace of God in Christ Jesus.I believe Olsen does an excellent job in presenting each of the difficulties found within Calvinism and then does a fine job refuting them. Ironically, Olsen does not dismiss all of Calvinism. Total depravity and the perseverance of the saints are doctrines Arminians, in most part, find themselves in agreement with their Calvinist brothers. But, one cannot accept only a couple points of Calvinism at the expense of the others. This is because all five points of Calvinism mesh with one another and must be accepted as a whole or dismissed altogether.Heavy on theology, rightly so, I highly recommend this theological book for both Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike. For those who are Calvinists, this book is good to understand why those who are Arminian oppose Calvin's doctrines of grace. For non-Calvinists it perhaps solidifies why there are problems found with Calvinism theology. Nevertheless, as Spurgeon once stated, we are all Christians first, and our theology is secondary. And, even though I have trouble with Calvin's theology and some of those who call themselves Calvinists, I still count them as my brothers and sisters in Christ.
    • 4/5
      Olson clearly explains what Calvinism is from Calvin through Piper. He distinguishes between forms of Calvinism and then argues against high Calvinism as expressed by its most dominant proponents. Although he sometimes lets his passion get in the way of the structure of his arguments, he raises many excellent questions about the logic of Calvinism and what its consequences are for the character of God. I found the alternatives to Calvinism, (fully explained in biblical interpretation, the study of Jesus, and the traditions of early church fathers) to be extremely helpful and logical. The final appendix that specifically and succinctly addresses specific Calvinistic claims against non-Calvinist theologies is an excellent summary of Olson's main arguments, as well as a useful reference. I will be reading Horton's "For Calvinism" next since the books are part of a set, but I expect to find it as confusing and difficult to get through as the explanations of Calvinism in this book. We shall see.