Calvinism and Arminianism Compared by Roger E. Olson *Note: The below is not copyrighted material, but I would appreciate it if you pass it on or use it in any form you include my name as its author. This is intended for use in Sunday School classes, church or small group Bible studies, etc. Use it however you wish without altering it. Thank you. What is Calvinism? A) Belief that God foreordains and renders certain everything that happens without any... Read more

Follow Up to My Recent Blog Post about American Men I wish I had seen this mini-documentary about “What’s Killing America’s White Men?” before writing and posting my immediately preceding post about what’s wrong with men in America. I happened across it by accident while looking for something else on Youtube. The mini-documentary was created and broadcast by the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) not very long ago. I have not found the exact date of its creation or broadcast. In... Read more

Thoughts about Men in American Culture Believe me, I’m not trying to start a new battle of the war between the sexes. The so-called war between the sexes has been going on as long as I’ve been alive. I remember a popular radio song in the 1950s that featured a duet between a man and a woman. The first lines were “Anything you can do, I can do better! I can do anything better than you” Followed by “No, you... Read more

What about “Death Bed Conversions?” Are They Valid? Recently a very experienced pastor and seminary professor asked my opinion about so-called “death bed conversions;” do I think they are valid? Now, let me remind my readers that this blog is for evangelical Christians and those who want to understand evangelical Christianity better. This blog post assumes a general, broad, evangelical spiritual-theological ethos. If you do not share that, please feel free to ask a question for enlightenment and understanding, but... Read more

Again with “Good God” and Calvinism Throughout the years of this blog (and before and outside of it) I have wrestled with people objecting most strenuously to my contention that true, historical, consistent Calvinism undermines the goodness of God. If God foreordains some people to hell when he could save them because grace is irresistible and election is unconditional, then God is not good. The common response is “You are imposing on God your own standard of ‘goodness’ and God... Read more

A Magnificent Resource for Arminian Evangelicals: “John Wesley’s Teachings” (Zondervan) Why should John Wesley matter to anyone who’s not a Methodist? Somehow over the years most people have come to limit Wesley to Methodism. What I mean is that IF someone expresses real appreciation for Wesley people assume he or she must be a Methodist. But why? People don’t assume that all admirers of Martin Luther are Lutheran. Yes, Wesley was the most important founder and leader of early Methodism,... Read more

What Is a Postconservative Evangelical?   This is how I describe myself and many others who think in a way similar to my way—about being “evangelical.” For a fuller explanation see my books Reformed and Always Reforming: The Postconservative Approach to Evangelical Theology (BakerAcademic) and How to Be Evangelical Without Being Conservative (Zondervan). Not many theologians I know want this label slapped on them. However, N. T. Wright accepted it and named me in his book Justification. I thought I... Read more

Some Uninvited Advice for the Democratic Party I am not a partisan when it comes to American politics. I’m independent and have voted for independent candidates several times. I have no party allegiance or loyalty. However, I pay attention to the two main American political parties (Republican and Democratic) and often shake my head in bewilderment at both of their antics. Over my lifetime I have seen both become overly rigid, ideologically-driven, and just downright dumb in their decisions. I... Read more

Bonhoeffer, Ethics, and “Scruples” Foreward to this blog post: I make no claim to being an expert on Bonhoeffer, but over the years, since seminary (1970s), I have read many books by him and about him. These are my musings; I make no claim to infallibility and I would appreciate it if no one would nit-pick in responses. For example, if I say Bonhoeffer is “widely regarded as a martyr,” I do not invite correction. Yes, I know there are... Read more

Why Essentialism is Essential (At Least to Me) Here’s a delicious irony: “essentialism” is the philosophy that says entities have certain necessary properties that define them, that make them what they are. (It is, of course, a form of metaphysical realism as opposed to nominalism.) However, “essentialism” is itself an essentially contested concept. Look it up in dictionaries of philosophy. So, here, for purposes of this blog essay I am going to use “essentialism” for how I think and write... Read more