This Week in Calvinism - May 2, 2014

• Al Mohler explains why Christians should support the death penalty, at least in principle.
  
  
• Roger Olson, in response to Mohler, writes, "I find it interesting that Mohler claims that the Bible and Christianity (as he understands it) definitely defends capital punishment when a broad range of evangelical Christian ethicists oppose it." Well, I find it interesting that the Bible supports a great many things that a broad range of professing Christians oppose.
  
  Olson makes sure to get in a dig against Calvinism, too: "Oh, silly me. Mohler is a Calvinist. He would surely say something to the effect that if God had any use for the person he wouldn't allow the state to execute him (or her)." Classy as ever, Dr. Olson.
  
  
• My response to Roger Olson:

  Dr. Olson, perhaps you could point out where the Bible prescribes "sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole and solitary confinement for violent inmates." If not, what is the justification for saying that it is perfectly fine to take someone's liberty, just not his life? And what if that person is killed while in prison but later found innocent? How is your position more just and moral?
  
  You may also want to address the issue of arming police officers. By giving agents of the state a gun, you are essentially giving them the power to execute others without even the benefit of a jury trial. We have seen that power abused all too often under the guise of enforcing the law. Surely a consistent death penalty opponent would support an unarmed police force.

  It's always wise to think through one's own position before attacking someone else's.
  
  
• Doug Sayers asks, "How can salvation be 'all of grace' and yet require a condition, which must be met by the sinner alone?" Well, where does scripture say that the sinner alone is capable of meeting such a condition?
  
  
• Micah Burke of AOMin.org responds. Quite thoroughly, I might add.
  
  
• David Anson Brown writes:

  Modern Calvinism has detrimentally accelerated the regression and lack of individual participation in the Christian Church by redefining Fundamental Christianity to the point that the onetime Fundamental Christianity that did agree with and practice Biblical concepts no longer exists. Today modern Calvinism is presenting concepts that are both extra biblical [i.e. Calvin's Institutes] an unattainable [i.e. individual justification through individual obedience to elders and leaders]. In other words Christianity that at one time was well summarized and practiced in the Church Creeds and in the Church Professions of Faith and in the Church Doctrines has been redefined by the Calvinist movement into something that is only in appearance doctrinal but in reality is not really a true Christianity.

  I long for the day when critics of Calvinism begin to have some sort of grasp on exactly what it is they're criticizing.