This Week in Calvinism - February 22, 2013

• Vox Day addresses what he sees as the intellectual costs of Calvinism: "It is really rather remarkable how many historical and intellectual crimes can be quite reasonably be (sic) traced back to Calvinist thought and be considered the natural consequences of Calvinism."
  
  
• Three debates between James White and Michael Brown on divine sovereignty, predestination, and free will.
  
  
• Michael Brown reflects on his debate with White.
  
  
• James White responds to Brown's reflection.
  
  
• T. E. Hanna explains why he believes Calvinism is ethically incoherent.

The Government Schools' Trans-Agenda

Reason number 5,327 to get your kids out of government schools (from Fox News):

Parents across Massachusetts are upset over new rules that would not only allow transgender students to use their restrooms of their choice – but would also punish students who refuse to affirm or support their transgender classmates.

Last week the Massachusetts Department of Education issued directives for handling transgender students – including allowing them to use the bathrooms of their choice or to play on sports teams that correspond to the gender with which they identify.

The 11-page directive also urged schools to eliminate gender-based clothing and gender-based activities – like having boys and girls line up separately to leave the classroom.

Schools will now be required to accept a student’s gender identity on face value.

Really, is any further comment necessary?

This Week in Calvinism - February 15, 2013

• Surprise, surprise. Roger Olson has a problem with limited atonement, and he accuses Calvinists of being just as inconsistent as Arminians.
  
  
• Steve Hays of Triablogue responds to Olson.
  
  
• Mike Leake lists five reasons why a discussion on Calvinism in the SBC doesn't matter.
  
  
• Adrian Warnock encourages us to read Spurgeon as a bridge to the Puritans.

Dating Site for Calvinists

A dating site for Calvinists? It was predestined to happen.

Meet & Fellowship With Other Reformed Singles

Sovereign Grace Singles is the only site of its type - designed specifically to help Reformed believers meet like-minded believers and start a God-honoring relationship.

(via Tea Party Economist)

This Week in Calvinism - February 8, 2013

• Robin Schumacher addresses the top five misconceptions of Calvinism.
  
  
• As one anti-Calvinist YouTuber puts it, "All man-made theologies tend to humanism and pride, but the grand-daddy of all heresies is Calvinism, or Gnosticism in new clothes." Oh, how I long for the day when these critics would pause long enough to at least find out what Calvinists actually believe before launching their attacks.
  
  
• Jared Moore helps Joe Aguillard and other Louisiana Baptists understand what it means to be a hyper-Calvinist.
  
  
• Dave Miller is working to see a more productive discussion of Calvinism in the SBC.
  
  
• The John 3:16 Conference was first held in 2008 at the First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia. It was led by former SBC president Jerry Vines, and its intent was to offer a scholarly refutation of Calvinism. The event was so popular, so insightful, and so inspiring that, a mere five years later, they're having another one.
  
  
• In the weeks leading up to this year's John 3:16 Conference, SBCToday will post interviews with each person scheduled to speak at the Conference. Up first: Dr. Jerry Vines. Naturally, the conference has garnered some criticism, but Vines states that this demonstrates "what I have been saying for sometime now: There is a New Calvinism among us that is aggressive, hostile, and militant." Hmmmm. I guess that would explain all those conferences organized specifically to attack Arminianism.
  
  
• John Piper recommends these seven books for pastors.

Talk During a Sermon, Get Publicly Humiliated

Imagine you're a pastor. A member of the congregation is talking during your sermon. What's the best way to prevent that person from becoming too much of a distraction for those around him? Call attention to the talker and ensure that he becomes a distraction for everyone.


If a preacher is that easily distracted, one has to wonder if what he has to say is really all that important.

(via 22 Words)

How to Write a Worship Song

(via 22 Words)

This Week in Calvinism - February 1, 2013

• You don't have to be a Calvinist to believe that "the mysterious role of God in our lives is something for all of us to ponder and pray about."
  
  
• Calvinism is not allowed at Louisiana College.
  
  
• Is Calvinism inconsistent with free will?
  
  
• Should we change the five points of Calvinism?
  
  
  1. Total Depravity Radical and Pervasive Evil
     
  2. Unconditional Election Divine Initative
     
  3. Limited Atonement Particular Redemption
     
  4. Irresistible Grace Effectual Grace
     
  5. Perseverance of the Saints Perseverance of God with the Redeemed

  That might work, but "RDPEP" doesn't exactly flow off the tongue as well as "TULIP."

• Wow. All I can say is that I'm glad Paul's thoughts on Calvinism are merely passing. Permanent thoughts like that could really mess a person up.
  
  
• Steve Warsa shares a joke about predestination vs. free will.
  
  
• It's sad when theology professors teach that the doctrine of predestination is nothing more than a cosmic game of Duck, Duck, Goose.
  
  
• How John Piper responds to death threats.