February 1, 2016
Review of Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace, by Keith D. Stanglin and Thomas H. McCall. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. This review first appeared in Restoration Quarterly 56 (2014): 258-259. This book is long overdue. While the shelves are filled with scholarly summaries of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Wesley, this is the first book-length […]
1 Comment |
Books | Tagged: Arminius, Calvinism, Election, Grace, Predestination, Reformed |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 11, 2015
Everyone wants to be chosen, especially those who feel marginalized or undervalued. Many of us remember what it feels like to be the last one chosen in a pickup game of basketball or uninvited to the school party. Sometimes we feel like outsiders, and sometimes we are treated like outsiders. Sometimes we simply are outsiders. […]
2 Comments |
Biblical Texts | Tagged: 1 Peter, Alien, Covenant, Culture, Election, Resident Aliens, Sanctification, Trinity |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
July 3, 2012
The opening line is simple, direct and profound: “I have loved you, says Yahweh.” That should be good news, but there are times when it may be heard with a bit of skepticism or even bitterness. It is a difficult word to hear when someone has just told you in the previous breath that your […]
5 Comments |
Biblical Texts, Pastoral Care | Tagged: Edom, Election, Esau, Israel, Jacob, Love, Malachi 1:2-5, Suffering |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 14, 2009
[Note: I am attempting to keep these SBD installments under 2000 words each, but that is–of course–quite inadequate for the topics covered. Consequently, these contributions are more programmatic than they are explanatory or defenses of the positions stated. You may access the whole series at my Serial page.] God elects us in Christ through faith […]
18 Comments |
Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Assurance, Calvinism, Covenant, Election, Faith, Grace, Israel, Predestination, Reformed |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 6, 2008
All who persevere in faith are elect. Both Calvinists and Arminians can agree with the above statement. For the Calvinist, those who do not persevere in faith, though they at one time seemingly had faith, never possessed authentic faith in the first place (e.g., Calvin’s own example is Simon Magus in Acts 8). For the Arminian, those […]
11 Comments |
Church History, Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Assurance, Calvinism, Election, Faith, Perseverance, Reformed Theology, Salvation, Security, TULIP |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 5, 2008
The often acrimonious debates between contemporary Arminians and Calvinists are not new. The history of this discussion dates back 1600 years and has been continuous within Christian circles. It can be tracked, in part, with the following discussions: Augustine vs. Pelagius (early 5th century) Gottschalk vs. Rabanus (late 9th century) Bradwardine vs. Ockham (mid 14th […]
8 Comments |
Church History, Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Assurance, Calvinism, Election, Faith, Grace, Predestination, Reformed Theology, Salvation, Security, TULIP |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 3, 2008
There has been significant interest over the past decade in a resurgent Calvinism (or Reformed Theology). Some call it a “New Calvinism” (as per Collin Hansen’s book Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists). The popularity of John Piper as well as the renewal of Calvinism among the Southern Baptists (specifically Southern Baptist Theological […]
47 Comments |
Church History, Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Calvinism, Election, Faith, Glory, Grace, Love, Predestination, Reformed Theology, Salvation, Theology, TULIP |
Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks