It happens all the time.\u00a0 I move around in evangelical circles quite a bit and overhear conversations and receive comments about Arminianism.\u00a0 And I invite Calvinists to my classes.<\/p>\n
I am certainly not claiming that all Calvinists are guilty of this, but many, in my experience, do not seem to care about representing Arminianism fairly.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a typical example.\u00a0 A friend and I drove quite a way to browse at a used theological bookstore.\u00a0 The owner is a passionate five point Calvinist who actually has TULIP tracts that he gives out.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how the conversation went:<\/p>\n
Owner: \u201cOh, you were here once before.\u00a0 We talked about Arminianism because you were preparing to write your Arminianism book.\u201d<\/p>\n
I: \u201cOh, yes, now I remember.\u00a0 That was a while back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Owner: \u201cYes, you tried to convince me that Arminius was not an Arminian.\u201d<\/p>\n
I: \u201cWell, no, I tried to convince you that Arminius was not a Pelagian or semi-Pelagian.\u201d<\/p>\n
Owner: \u201cRight.\u00a0 Arminius was not a Pelagian.\u201d<\/p>\n
Huh?\u00a0 Now perhaps he was just confused, but I doubt it.\u00a0 The way I interpreted his final comment was as saying that although Arminius might not have been a Pelagian, Arminianism is Pelagian or semi-Pelagian.\u00a0 (I know several Calvinists who try to drive a wedge between Arminius himself as Arminians and Arminianism.\u00a0 One well-known evangelical Calvinist actually calls Wesley a \u201cconfused Calvinist!\u201d)<\/p>\n
What I think is that many Calvinists are so stuck in thinking of Arminianism as Pelagian or semi-Pelagian that they simply can\u2019t revise their opinion no matter what evidence is shown or told to them.\u00a0 I have sent Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities to many evangelical Calvinists.\u00a0 Only two have bothered to respond.\u00a0 A couple others that I know of reviewed the book for journals or at their blogs.\u00a0 Their critiques were that I am simply redefining Arminianism.\u00a0 Again, huh?\u00a0 I quote Arminius and almost every influential Arminian theologian since him demonstrating conclusively that they all absolutely rejected Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism (with the exception of the liberal Remonstrants such as Philip Limborch\u2013that is, \u201cArminians of the head\u201d who moved away from Arminius and Wesley in many ways such that they can hardly be considered really Arminian).<\/p>\n
I have yet to read a book by or hear a lecture by or listen to conversation by a dyed-in-the-wool Calvinist who fairly represents Arminianism which means representing it as Arminians themselves represent it.\u00a0 I\u2019m not asking them to buy into it or support it, all I want is fair representation such as they want from non-Calvinists of Calvinism!\u00a0 I\u2019m not seeing or hearing that yet among Calvinists\u2013even ones I know have read my book.<\/p>\n
I go out of my way to represent Calvinism fairly.\u00a0 I require my students to read Calvin and<\/p>\n