Arminianism

“God’s grace is free and offered without merit; however, human beings have been granted freedom by God and can refuse his grace” (Calvinism Compared to Wesleyan Perspectives). The offer is for everyone, but not everyone will receive it as they may choose to resist the Spirit’s call. “The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow him to have his way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God’s grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man” (Comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism). In short, God cannot force his grace upon us, we must willingly accept it. Calvin’s last doctrine in TULIP is Perseverance of the Saints. All those who have been chosen by God (the saints), those who are given faith by the Holy Spirit, are eternally saved. By the power of God, the elect are kept in faith and thus persevere to the end (Comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism). “Since God has decreed the elect, and they cannot resist grace, they are unconditionally and eternally secure in that election” (Calvinism Compared to Wesleyan Perspectives). God has brought…

Calvinism and Arminianism have five disputed points between them. Calvinism is a branch of Protestantism that was founded by French theologian John Calvin. Arminianism was founded by Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius and is based on his theological ideas. Both Calvinism and Arminianism were created roughly around the same time period. John Calvin was born in 1509 and lived until 1564 while Jacobus Arminius was born in 1560 and died in 1609. These two theological set of beliefs are very similar…

many philosophers’ thoughts, especially in philosophy of religion. Many came to question, whether humans have free will or they just do what needs to be done based on God’s plan. Therefore, many philosophers assume that the meaning of free will is the ability to choose to do something with one’s desire or to be free to choose. Moreover, people have different minds and different views about the idea of free will; some believe that it exists, and some don’t. For instance, Arminianism and…

In their hearts, they wanted to understand how marvelous God’s salvation was and the way in which humanity comes into God’s saving grace. For me personally, I have come to believe that both views are not contradictory of one another, but rather they are a ‘both-and’ means of understanding salvation. This means that God does elect some and his grace is irresistible to some. For example, the Bible shows this truth in people, such as Pharaoh and Paul. I do not believe they had a choice in the…

French Theologian John Calvin served as a pastor during the Protestant Reformation. Growing up Roman Catholic, he had values and traditions instilled which were thought to be critical in one 's relationship with God. However, after his exposure to reformation he experienced a shift in ideals, theology, and belief. This time of his life simply brought into light a spectrum of Christianity which had yet to be acknowledged in a depth which came across offensive and seemingly harsh. Now referred to…

James F. White is a researcher in liturgical studies who wrote notable books related to Christian worship such as Documents of Christian Worship, Introduction to Christian Worship and Protestant Worship: Traditions in Transition. This work is an analysis of Protestant worship where the author elucidates the main worship traditions of nine specific traditional segments of the church that shaped the history of Protestant worship in Europe and North America. These evangelical institutions are…

He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. If god had “picked” people and predestined people then why does this verse clearly state that god wants everyone to repent and he wants to see everyone of his children in heaven? The two advantages of Arminianism is that first it gives everyone a chance to become a christian, what is the point of going to every nation and preaching Christ if we are predestined?. Another advantage that arminianism has over…

Introduction During the 16th century two main doctrines of Calvinism, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgic Confession became the issue that sparked the most important controversy between the Calvinist and the Arminians. Both the Heidelberg Catechism and Belgic Confession were Confessions of faith of the Dutch church. Calvinism a system of theological doctrine named for the French theologian John Calvin represented the conservative orthodoxy. According to Justo L. Gonzalez, “Calvin was…

The main or general idea of Arminianism is the notion of free will. The Arminian side claims that humanity was affect by the fall of man, but that it has not been left completely helpless spiritually. They believe that God has given each individual the ability to repent wholeheartedly and also the ability to believe in him. God has given every human being the ability to have free and choose their own destiny. Arminianism would claim that humanity is not a slave to sin but it also has an…

The foundation of the Great Awakening was laid out by spiritually sagging puritan and anglican churches from overly complex theological doctrines and compromising of values in order to allow church membership for the purpose of maintaining a steady flow of members. People got tired of overly boring sermons from old fashioned ministers. They wanted something fresh, exciting, and new. More factors that led to the Great Awakening were the increasingly modern and liberal ideas, such as Arminianism…