I am not a Calvinist.
I do not make that statement from a position of antagonism against Calvinism. There are many aspects of Calvinism and Reformed doctrine that I admire, love, and embrace. The strong Calvinist is typically insulated from the heresies of humanism by his emphasis on the absolute sovereignty of God. Thus, it is rare to find a liberal Calvinist who denies the authority of Scripture, the reality of sin, and the identity of Christ. If I had to pick a side in the Calvinist-Arminian debate, I would go with the Calvinist side.
I also do not make that statement from a position of ignorance. I received my doctorate degree from a Reformed seminary. My favorite professor was D.A. Carson. I have heard and studied the Reformed position under the teaching of Reformed teachers. There are no straw men in my arguments against Calvinism. It is a beautiful theological system that explains much of Scripture. I don’t hesitate at all to preach its tenets when it is the best understanding of the text at hand. But, in the final analysis, it is a system that can’t explain all of Scripture. There are some passages that simply push against its walls and keep it from being air tight.
That leads me to my primary concern with Calvinism…and to any overriding system of interpretation be it Arminianism, dispensationalism, charismatic theology, or covenant theology. It is too easy for the system to dictate interpretation rather than vice-versa. That is not to say that all theological systems are created equal. Some seem to gel with the whole counsel of God better than others. But it is to say that there are enough “category busters” in every system to keep us humble. If Bible believing Christians who acknowledge the authority of Scripture, the deity of Christ, and the gospel of grace can differ on an issue, and do so throughout much of church history, then there is a good chance that the truth lies somewhere above our typical horizontal spectrum.
So my hope in the next few weeks is to share a few thoughts on the Calvinist-Arminian debate that may be helpful. And along the way explain why I believe that leaving certain doctrines in tension, particularly this one, is the preferred place to be.
“Leaving certain doctrines in tension” seems fine to do unless the “tension” is created by co-existing incompatibles. But perhaps you are saying they are hard to reconcile with each other or they are beyond God’s intended capability of our minds to grasp.
Your future articles will be interesting; I look forward to them!