Among the caricatures of Calvinism is the widespread claim that it
renders God the author of evil, suffering, sin, and even the fall of
humanity itself. In his recent book, Against Calvinism, Roger
Olson carefully distinguishes the official teaching of Calvinism from
where he thinks it logically leads. However, there are over three dozen
statements in his book about Calvinism leading by good and necessary
logic to a deity who is a “moral monster,” indistinguishable from the
devil.
I respond to this charge directly in my companion volume, For Calvinism. A thoughtful review of my book
from an Arminian perspective came to my attention today and this
question again rose to the surface. (By the way, Calvinists talk so
much about predestination more because of the charges leveled repeatedly
against it than because of its alleged centrality.)
If God knew that Adam and Eve were going to transgress his law,
why didn’t he change the circumstances so that they would have made a
different choice?
Why would God create people he knew would be condemned for their original and actual sin?
The questions multiply.
Taking on this question in a blog post is a little dangerous. For a
statement of the Reformed position and its scriptural basis, I’d refer
readers to For Calvinism.
However, there is one point that is worth pondering briefly: Non-Calvinist theologies are just as vulnerable on this question.
Classic Arminian theology shares with Calvinism—indeed with all
historic branches of Christianity—that God’s foreknowledge comprehends
all future events. There is nothing that happens, nothing that you and I
do, that lies outside of God’s eternal foreknowledge. Keep Reading >>>
No comments:
Post a Comment