This Week in Calvinism - October 30, 2009

• Daniel thinks that both Calvinists and Arminians hold to a theology that is contrary to Christ.
  
  
• John Piper addresses the question, "How willingly do people go to Hell?"
  
  
• Phil Johnson on the problem of evil.
  
  
• Can God know everything and still give us free will?
  
  
• Eddie has unearthed an old Spurgeon cigar ad.

This Week in Calvinism - October 16, 2009

• Hank at Think Wink is up to part 13 of his five-part series on objections to Calvinism.
  
  
• Despite being the most popular view of the atonement, there are problems with Arminian universal redemption. (Yes, I realize not all Arminians believe everything presented here.)
  
  
• Calvinism (not really) refuted.
  
  
• No-point Calvinism?
  
  
• A while back, Roger Olson challenged Calvinists (especially those who criticize books like The Shack) to come up with a novel presenting a clear picture of their own theology. He thinks the picture of a God who actually is in control of life's tragedies would send people scurrying from Calvinism. Triablogue's Steve Hays has an excellent response.

Fahrenheit 451, Fundamentalist Style

You're invited this Halloween to Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Canton, North Carolina, at 7:00 pm for a night of great preaching, singing, warm fellowship, and fried chicken with all the sides. Oh, and a good old fashioned book burning.

Slated for destruction are all the modern (i.e. post-1611) Satanic Bible translations such as the NIV, NKJV, and NASB. Also on the menu are books by popular heretics like James Dobson, John Piper, John McArthur (sic) and Mark Driskol (sic). Missing from the list are the ESV translation and books by R. C. Sproul, but I'm sure these are just oversights.

Naturally, you can't have a holy bonfire without the obligatory collection of Devil's music. The folks at AGBC will be ridding the world of vile recordings from every genre imaginable: "country, rap, rock, pop, heavy metal, western, soft and easy, southern gospel, contempory (sic) Christian, jazz, soul, oldies but goldies, etc." (I'm not really sure what they consider to be acceptable music, but I'm pretty sure I don't own it.)

If you want to spoil the Devil's favorite holiday this year, swing on by Amazing Grace Baptist Church. And don't forget your torch!

What David Letterman Can Teach Us About the Gospel

On the David Letterman blackmail/sex scandal, Russell D. Moore writes:

Letterman said the extortion note was disturbing, first of all, because he feared the mysterious correspondent was watching him. Someone who knew this much about his life, would this figure be tapping him on the shoulder from the shadows? Pulling him into the back of the car?

Letterman also, though, was upset by the note because it was true. ...

... You and I once felt a deeper, more primal blackmail, and it scared us to the core. In fact, we often still do. Now, for most of us, it's not the same kind of transgression or the same type of discovery. But we’re blackmailed just as surely, in fact even more so.

The Scripture says that Satan's reign over this present order is by holding us captive through the slavery of the "fear of death" (Heb 2:15). And why are all humans afraid of death? Because, like Letterman's letter in the back of the car, our conscience is pointing us to judgment, with a "black box" of evidence of our guilt (Rom 2:15-16).

Read the full article here.

This Week in Calvinism - October 9, 2009

• Philip Stephens would like to see Arminians and Calvinists drop the labels and get along.
  
  
• Chris Roberts is surprised "that Calvinists are the ones accused of being divisive." I don't get it either, especially when we aren't the ones throwing the word "heresy" around.
  
  
• Calvinism a "balance wheel" for Christendom?
  
  
• Triablogue's Steve Hays writes, "At a specific level, Calvinism is a theology of hope and thanksgiving. We believe that God has a plan for the world. That everything happens according to his plan. Even the evils we see and experience in this world are there as a means to a greater good. For a Calvinist, the whole world is God's world. Light and shade."
  
  
• Two quick apologetic tips on the Trinity.

This Week in Calvinism - October 2, 2009

• Evangelicals at the 2009 Desiring God Conference urged to heed Calvin's voice.
  
  
• Paul Helm on N. T. Wright and imputed righteousness.
  
  
• The Twin Pillows of Calvinism.

Psalm 31:6