Why I Am Not an Arminian

by Robert A. Peterson, Michael D. Williams

What's wrong with Arminianism? Arminian theology is sweeping through the evangelical churches of North America. While most Arminians are good, sincere, orthodox Christians, authors Robert A. Peterson and Michael D. Williams contend that aspects of Arminian thought are troubling both biblically and theologically. In particular, they argue, Arminians have too lofty a view of human nature and an inadequate understanding of God's sovereign love in Christ. Why I Am Not an Arminian explores the biblical, theological and historical background to the Calvinist-Arminian debate. The irenic nature and keen insight of this book will be appreciated by laypeople, pastors and scholars alike.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Reference

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2004

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently reread both "Why I Am Not an Arminian" and its' opposite book, "Why I Am Not a Calvinist," in preparation to give both to a friend whose church is facing these issues. If one's going to read either of these books, I think it's important to also read the other. "The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." - Proverbs 18:17, NIV

I also think it's important to note that both these strains of thought agree that Jesus died to save sinners, and they also agree on many other aspects of Christianity, including the inspiration and authority of scripture. Being on one side or the other does not mean that person is less a Christian. We can still befriend each other, care about each other, encourage each other, etc. (For that matter, we can still befriend, care about, and encourage people who are not Christians as well.)

I also think of what Jesus said when His disciples asked him about a different hard teaching, involving divorce and remarriage. "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given." - Matthew 19:11, NIV. I take that to mean that there are some hard teachings that some people are not ready for, some hard teachings that are not central to Jesus' main teachings regarding salvation, etc.

Or what Paul said on another possible disagreement. "All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained." - Philippians 3:15-16, NIV. I like the thought that Paul leaves the results of the disagreement up to God to clarify in His way and in His timing. Only, let's agree to live up to what we already do know.

In some sense, Christians need unity and such conversations can divide it, but sometimes, someone finds some aspect of the issue troubling, and then it is well worth studying. I suspect that, in the future, Christians will need each other more and more, as persecution in various parts of the world has increased, and such disagreements might be set aside as less critical in the face of day to day survival and unified belief in Jesus.

Having said all that, it is nice to calmly think through such issues from a Biblical standpoint and examine the scriptures on both sides of the issue of Arminian verses Calvinist. Anything less just sets up a straw man to represent the opposing side, an argument to easily be knocked over, without considering the real depth of that point of view.

I thought both of these books did a scholarly job of presenting the issues. They presented the history surrounding these viewpoints and various philosophies on one side or the other, but to me, the heart of the matter involves the scripture they discuss. What does the Bible say on each issue, and how does each side interpret those verses? What do they say about the interpretations of the other?

It's a little more confusing because there's a range of belief in each camp as well, and actually, I find that honesty refreshing. People on one side of an issue don't always agree with each other on all the details, and I appreciate that the authors tried to discuss the various "flavors" of Calvinism and Arminianism.

Well done, both of them.

And no, I'm not going to say which side I agree with more here, because I don't want to alienate people who either haven't yet thought through the issues, or disagree with me. Some things are more important to me than clarity on these points.

[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written! Does a great job explaining beliefs, all the while taking a respectful and honoring tone. As someone who has a more Arminian way of thinking, I felt truly cared for throughout the authors’ entire argument. I learned a lot, and this opened up my eyes to the broader Calvinist theology-not just the basic “5 Points” we so often hear. Wonderful work!

[Mitchell Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic take on the Calvinist position. The title is very polemic and misleading but was a publisher choice, not authorial. Such a kind and pastoral heart. The professors at Covenant continue to lead with hard answers and soft hearts.

[Lance Crandall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunate provocative title. (The authors themselves don't prefer it). But a gracious, well reasoned defense of Calvinism and a charitable refutation of Arminianism. I read it for a class. Very well done book

[Doug Adamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-written, interesting presentation of some arguments for Calvinism and against Arminianism. The writers take an irenic approach, noting what is good and what they disagree with. Calvinists and Arminians are both Christians who agree on much even as they disagree on other points (no pun intended). There is a good balance of biblical, theological, and historical discussion. (They wrongly assert that Theodore Beza was Calvin's son-in-law as well as his successor [p. 93]).
Although well-argued, this book will not convince everyone. I purchased my copy second-hand and the previous owner showed, by their highlights and added comments, that they were not convinced by the arguments presented by the authors. That said, based on some of the things highlighted and some of the comments, I am not sure that the previous reader understood fully either Calvinism or Arminianism but that has no bearing on the copy of the book that do, dear reader, may or may not read for yourself. I did not agree with everything in the book but it was a good read.

[Nate Knecht]

Just bought this

[Nathan Chattaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of comparing Calvinism with Arminianism, and arguing in favour of Calvinism. The authors are very gracious in their approach to their opponents, and in so doing, render glory to God. You can read this and feel that the authors love their Arminian brethren.

The debate is a very important one. It is done much service by this book. The authors tend to weight the words of Christ higher than other NT texts which teach the doctrines of Grace, as embodied in Calvinism. This is a sound approach! But it also means their arguments could have been strengthened by weaving in more from Paul, Peter and other portions of inspired scripture. It's all written by God!

This is a book I would not hesitate to loan or recommend to anyone who has been a professing Christian for some time, who has a good grasp of the Bible and who is interested in learning more about the way salvation is applied to us.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid defense of 5-point Calvinism. Good chapter on Augustine and Pelagius which sets a helpful context for readers unfamiliar with the history of the Remonstrants and their initial critique of their own Dutch Reformed tradition (found in the Five Articles of Remonstrance) led by John Calvin's spiritual grandson, Jacob Arminius. This book is a counterpoint to an opposing title "Why I am not a Calvinist." If you're on the fence, would be good to read the two together. As Proverbs 18:17 says, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him."

[An Te · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice summary of highly contentious and important topic. How are we saved by the Gospel? I must say that the topic of discussion is not an easy one. But it has proven to be a worthy primer. It has increased my appreciation of the love of God, His inscrutability and our inability to save ourselves. All in all, God is glorified.

Firstly, God loves all people. Secondly, however, he chooses to save only the elect by His atoning grace. There is a clear tension here. I am struggling to accept this. I know God knows all. I trust in Him. But to give grace to some and not all seems counterintuitive. However, it is perfectly plausible that God could realise the greatest good through offering to particular individuals in a world of free agents.

Also, I have a deeper appreciation and understanding of how our efforts relate to God's sovereignty. It is against the goodness of God that we act at all.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, this book is very dry reading. I did like chapter 4, Perseverance, and chapter 6, Freedom (which expands on Jerry Bridges’ phrase “dependent responsibility”… that phrase brought clarity for me). I enjoyed some of the historical background and liked the biblical exegesis. This book did help me to understand the Arminian/Calvinist debate better and why I believe what I believe. If you are looking to understand the differences between the two, this book and Why I Am Not a Calvinist are helpful, though not very engaging.

[Darby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t judge the book by it’s name! The name wasn’t chosen by the authors, and there is a corresponding book titled “Why I Am Not a Calvinist.”

The authors are charitable as they examine key Bible passages to explain why they believe the Calvinist position is a more faithful reading of Scripture. They present objections to their position fairly and respond to these objections humbly.

[Samuel Kassing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not in love with the title to be sure. But the content in this book is really good and the authors are irenic through out. No pot shots to be found.

If you are looking into these discussions be sure to check out the counterpart book “Why I’m not an Arminian” as well.

[Ronald L Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on a difficult subject

As a layman with some Bible School and Seminary training i found the book a !little deep in the weeds in the historical discussion. The Biblical section was worth the wait. I especially appreciated how they, "Presented the truth in love."

[Brandon Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charitable and gracious refute of Arminian theology and a defense for Calvinistic theology. A wonderful reminder of how much we truly have in common with other christians who differ in their theology.

[Andy Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The clearest explanation and defense of Calvinism I’ve read so far. Most of these books devolve into petty argumentation and even insults, this one manages respectful disagreement of those holding the opposing view.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book, but definitely not for everyone. I have been searching for some time to find my place in the great Calvinism-Arminianism debate. I checked out this book along with its counterpart, Why I am Not a Calvinist. I was a little put off by all the big words in a book that was designed for laypeople, but after awhile, I got so I enjoyed learning new words. "Supralapsarianism," "infralapsarianism," "synergism," and "monergism" are just a few. I liked that this book was so rooted in Scripture. Every point made against Arminianism, as well as every point made for Calvinism, was backed with several solid Bible passages taken in context. The authors of the book managed to stand firm in their Calvinist views in a way that was still respectful of the Arminians. This book answered a lot of questions I had and helped clear up some misunderstandings I had about certain aspects of both viewpoints. Again, a great book for someone who already as a fairly solid understanding of the subject matter, but definitely not something everyone would like.

[Travis Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the best overall handling of Calvinism to date.

While most books are content telling you what is wrong with something, few go on to point you in the right direction afterward. This book is the exception. The authors begin by putting to rest some of the myths of Arminianism. Just as Calvinism gets a bad name because of the ignorant, Arminianism gets the same. It is one thing to point out error and an entirely different matter to fabricate error based out of a lack of understanding. Is Arminianism heresy or just a misunderstanding of Scripture? Will Arminians see Heaven or are they damned for eternity? Did Jacobus Arminius actually argue with John Calvin or is there more to the story? Find out the answers to all this and much, much more.

Why I Am Not An Arminian goes to great lengths to not only explain the errors of Arminianism but it also goes to equally great lengths to explain the truth of Calvinism from a purely Biblical perspective. Prepare to follow history, Scripture, and multiple schools of thought as you read through this incredibly enlightening book.

[Greg Baughman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tough book to review fairly in relation to its argument as I came from an Arminian understanding of salvation to a Calvinisitc one by way of similar arguments (to praise it too highly would merely be patting myself on the back!). So aside from its scriptural argument (which, I'll admit, I do think are convincing), I appreciated this book for a few reasons. 1) It's eminently fair to their opponents. The authors identified the best thinkers on the other side and consistently engage them (to the point of mentioning when a certain author does not address a specific verse). 2) It strikes a nice balance between historical, systematic, and biblical theology. 3) They admit to weaknesses in their arguments and the existence of mystery in theology. As good Calvinists (and not Reformed Scholastics), their inclination is to affirm no more than Scripture does. I was surprised some editorial errors (i.e. Hebrew x:x instead of Hebrews x:x) in a few places. This is a solid introduction to the discussion. Now, on to its companion volume.

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A work written with a fair and gracious tone. Peterson and Williams seek to represent Arminianism fairly and seem to succeed on most counts. An incredibly helpful historical treatment on the Synod of Dort and its historical context.

My biggest letdown was the failure to argue some key texts. On too many occasions the argument was a simple, "this doesn't mention free will directly, therefore it doesn't count." That kind of dismissal was disappointing.

I'm glad to have read the book. I look forward to reading its counterpart, "Why I Am Not a Calvinist."

[Mick Donahue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really a good book. I gave it three stars only because the authors do not represent Arminianism in its proper light. Statements like Arminians assume "unblemished integrity of human free will" (138) and "Arminian[s] assert that freedom is the precondition for grace, [while] the Calvinist holds that grace is the prerequisite for freedom."(155) do not properly represent the classical Arminianism of Forlines and Picirilli.

[ETMoore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very balanced and irenic presentation of Calvinistic objections to Arminianism, though at times they seemed to raise objections to a caricature. I'm looking forward to reading the companion volume on the other side.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Semi-good introductory read to Arminianism.

[Kyle Deming · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.skepticalchristian.com/br_...

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to note one particular strength: This book is FAR superior to the companion volume, "Why I Am Not A Calvinist."

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unnecessarily combative title, but really good content.