I will say up front that there have been various times when I have enjoyed the ministry of Dr. William Lane Craig and I am sure he is a fine man of Christ, however his misunderstanding of Calvinism displayed in this article is just embarrassing. It is ok to disagree, it is wrong to be ignorant, or worse yet use hyperbole in a way that amounts to a lie. One would think WLC would understand Calvinism at least academically, but from what I read here, and I mean this sincerly, he could sit with my 5 year old son or 9 year old daughter and actually learn, they will explain to him clearly that no one is ever turned away from God, that no one can come to Christ and not be accepted. They will also explain that depraved people, never, ever, ever approach God apart from the work of God. They will also explain that God always accomplishes that which he chooses, including calling and regenerating sinners. As Aslan once said to Ustace Scrub: ”You would not have been calling for me if I had not first called for you”. My 5 year old would be happy to explain to WLC that while God does not call all he is just and loving in calling some and was not obligated to call any. And all those whom he call will come. Those whom he does not call get exactly what they desire, to be the god of their own life. This is simple. Anyhoo here is the link Click.
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7 responses so far ↓
anon // July 26, 2009 at 11:48 am |
hey poop, ever feel like you don’t want church to be your job? I’m asking as a youth pastor to a pastor.
poopemerges // July 26, 2009 at 1:28 pm |
Sometimes I have. Not really out of ministry, just in a different one. But God has always met me there. I had days when I literally could not imagine ever smiling again. But then God worked. And one day I work up happy. I will pray for you that GOd will restore the joy of your salvation.
And remember especially if you are a a Ypastor. It may just be a bad situation and getting someplace with freedom will change your perspective.
D
kangaroodort // October 20, 2009 at 12:05 pm |
D,
Just a small quibble here. I haven’t read the Craig link yet, but your reference to Aslan seems a bit off since C.S. Lewis was not Calvinist, nor did he mean that in a Calvinistic sense. Even Arminians believe that God must initiate any move towards Him through His prevenient and enabling grace (i.e. He calls us first). But that doesn’t address the idea of whether that calling is resistible or irresistible, nor does it address whether or not that call goes out to only a few or to all. So I think you are misusing the Aslan quote and misrepresenting the point that Lewis was trying to make in that narrative. Like I said, just a minor quibble.
God Bless,
Ben
David // October 20, 2009 at 12:13 pm |
Lewis may not have been fully Calvinist, but he certainly was not fully Arminian and I think we see elements of both. None the less, I would suggest that is exactly what the quote implies…but will grant your quibble on Armin. However, Craig does show a serious misunderstanding of what we Calvinist (I hate that term btw…) believe.
kangaroodort // October 20, 2009 at 12:22 pm |
O.K., the quibble continues. Lewis was certainly Arminian in the sense that he firmly believed that God does not only call some (irresistibly) and reprobate the rest (actively or passivley), and that is what you were apparently trying to convey with the Aslan quote. He rejected unconditional election and determinism, so it would be an understatement to say he wasn’t “fully Calvinist”.
I followed the link and from the quote, it does seem that Craig plainly misrepresented Calvinism. I do intend to reserve judgment until I have listened to the entire audio; but again, from the quote alone, it doesn’t look good.
God Bless,
Ben
David // October 20, 2009 at 12:33 pm |
Ben, I know Lewis mainly through the Chronicles so you may indeed be right
. This was the sense I got from the Silver Chair (which as fiction I do try not to take to much of my theology from).
I was using the quote mainly to convey that God was the first actor, and while for me that does imply irresistibility, I was not trying to stretch Lewis so much as turn a quote.
D
kangaroodort // October 21, 2009 at 3:20 pm |
Gotcha.
God Bless,
Ben