A thought
I don't know if I'm Calvinist or Arminian. Or whatever. I just know what I believe, I wasn't taught them with any of those labels. (My pastor once or twice has mentioned something about Arminians and Calvinists. But not in clear enough terms for me, looking back, to remember what he was saying.)
But I do find it interesting that, on the web, I see a LOT of people arguing heatedly for their Calvinist ideas. But I don't really see people self-naming themselves Arminians in the same way.
Maybe this is because Calvin is a well-known historical figure, whereas this Arminian guy is not? I do know that I like some of what Calvin said and wrote (and others I do not approve of) but I wouldn't call myself Calvinist without reading it all and making sure I agree with all of it -- and why would I want to do that when I could just call myself a Biblicist and a Christian and wouldn't have to worry about having an unknown spot of Calvin's work come up and bite me -- I will adjust my beliefs for things I find in the Bible. But not necessarily for any other.
But I do find it interesting that, on the web, I see a LOT of people arguing heatedly for their Calvinist ideas. But I don't really see people self-naming themselves Arminians in the same way.
Maybe this is because Calvin is a well-known historical figure, whereas this Arminian guy is not? I do know that I like some of what Calvin said and wrote (and others I do not approve of) but I wouldn't call myself Calvinist without reading it all and making sure I agree with all of it -- and why would I want to do that when I could just call myself a Biblicist and a Christian and wouldn't have to worry about having an unknown spot of Calvin's work come up and bite me -- I will adjust my beliefs for things I find in the Bible. But not necessarily for any other.
posted by MommyLydia | 10/11/2005 02:44:00 PM
2 Comments:
Funny that I wrote about this last night... and did some reading. Interesting topic, as I had no previous teaching on the matter in all of my years as a Christian! :)
While I would love to explain some of these things, it is really late at night and its a long story. Let me try to put it in a "nutshell". When you see people arguing over this Calvinist/Arminist thing they are actually dealing with a specific type of theology that is centered around the doctrine of salvation, election, and predestination. To be called a Calvinist is to say that you believe in the 5-points of Calvinism as pertaining to the doctrine of salvation & election. It's a lot easier to say "I'm a Calvinist" then to have to say I am a Christian who believes in total depravity (also known as total inability and original sin), unconditional election,
limited atonement,
irresistible grace, and the
perseverance of the saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved). Someone who claims to be a Calvinist isn't saying that they are "like Calvin" or believe everything Calvin believed and agree with it, but they are basically saying that they hold to the calvinistic view in regards to salvation & election.
Very rarely do you hear someone say they are an Arminian. Mainly because the dude had some strange views that not many people want to associate with. Most Christians are part Calvinist and slightly Arminist and sit on the fence, although that is a position of contradiction in my mind. I do agree that it seems many intellectuals tend to lean towards Calvinism.
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