Roger E. Olson

Review of Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism by Molly Worthen (Oxford University Press) Part One This review will appear in three parts corresponding with the three parts of the book. This first installment covers the book's introduction and Part I: Knights Inerrant. (Feel free to skip the first nine paragraphs which are autobiographical. The review of Worthen's book actually begins with paragraph ten.) I admit to having a weakness for books about … [Read more...]

Is American Becoming a Police State? A few months ago I was having a discussion with a group of very socially conscious, highly intelligent graduate students who read widely and deeply in social and political ethics. Somehow the question whether America could ever become a police state came up. One student perceptively asked "How would we know?" What he meant was, how would we know if we were in a police state? Do most people who live in police states know they are living in a police … [Read more...]

Why I Am Not a Process Theologian Lutheran theologian Robert Jenson once quipped that the only thing wrong with process theology is that it is such an attractive alternative to Christian faith. I agree. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying people who believe in process theology cannot be Christians. Lots of people are Christians whose theology is profoundly messed up. Maybe the majority of Christians’ theology is profoundly messed up! What I am saying is that insofar as a person … [Read more...]

Dispelling a Delusion about the Subjunctive Mood (Why Saying I Would Not Worship God If…Is Not Insulting to God) Ever since I said here that if God were the God described by TULIP and the God of divine determinism, the author of sin and evil, I would not worship him I have been besieged by critics who suffer under the delusion that I said something about God—something demeaning to God's glorious transcendence (etc.). The same happens when I say if God were the God of TULIP and divine … [Read more...]

Explaining Calvinism to Calvinists (and Others) One surprising feature of the new Calvinist movement is that so many claim to be Calvinists but have not studied Calvinism thoroughly. Nothing shows that more clearly than the responses offered here to my critique of the Calvinist pastor who prays that his son be "among the elect." Many Calvinists simply do not understand Calvinism. I, as an Arminian, understand it better than they do. And right now, here, I am not talking about understanding … [Read more...]

Earlier here I expressed dismay at the media hype about the election of a new pope and said that he is not "my pope." I was not excited about the election of a new pope--as were some Protestants I know. It didn't even particularly interest me. To me, the Roman Catholic Church is just a denomination. It's a big one, admittedly, but it's just a denomination and I'm not part of it. And yet, some media talking heads and pundits in print talked about the papal choice as if it were the choice of a new … [Read more...]

Response to W. Stephen Gunter, Arminius and His Declaration of Sentiments and Keith D. Stanglin and Thomas H. McCall, Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace Roger E. Olson             These two books are significant contributions to what I call the “Arminian Renaissance” in contemporary theology. For centuries Arminius’s theology and Arminianism have been defined by their critics, mostly in the Reformed camp. The best thing I heard a traditional Reformed theologian say about … [Read more...]

Yesterday (Nov. 24, 2013) I participated in a vigorous and invigorating panel discussion (followed by questions from the scholarly audience) about Arminius. The focus of the discussion was two new books about Arminius. (I have held off reviewing them here until after this session.) The authors of the two books were on the panel as were respondents Thomas Jay Oord and me. Joy Moore skillfully planned and moderated the discussion. The two books under consideration are Arminius: Theologian of … [Read more...]

Recently I heard of a well-known Calvinist pastor, author, speaker, who, on a podcast, testified that he often goes into his little son's bedroom after he's asleep and prays over him that he be among the elect. While I certainly understand the pastor's sentiment and desire, I wonder if this is consistent with Calvinist theology? For any of you who are coming here without knowing me, let me assure you I have read a lot of Calvinist literature--from Calvin to John Piper and virtually every … [Read more...]

When it comes to the issue of prejudice (racial, sex-related, immigrant-related, religious, cultural, etc.) I find there are two kinds of people. First, there are those who think that it must be conscious and deliberate in order to count as prejudice. Second, there are those who think it is often unconscious--found in and among people who deny, even to themselves, that they are prejudiced against a group of fellow human beings. Let's set aside the word "discrimination" in this conversation. … [Read more...]