Reflections Of A Disenchanted Calvinist: The Disquieting Realities of Calvinism

by Ronnie W. Rogers

Reflections of a Disenchanted The Disquieting Realities of Calvinism engages one of the classical strands of Protestant thought with the classical strength of Protestantism—shedding the light of the Scriptures on the questions of the faith. Author Ronnie W. Rogers leads readers through the intricacies of Calvinist thought, touching on such topics as the sovereignty of God, predestination, unconditional election, the origin of evil, free will, and faith and works. The intent of this journey is to provide a critique of Calvinism and to present readers with a clear picture of the ramifications of subscribing to Calvinist doctrines. Chapters address particular theological topics by stating both affirmations rooted in the Scriptures and disaffirmations drawing their support from the Scriptures as well. The lines of thought do not shy away from complex theological questions, but instead rely upon the riches of theological reflection to assure the critiques of Calvinism are fair both to the doctrines and to the Scriptures. If you are a part of the Calvinist tradition and want to explore the nuances of your background, or if you locate yourself outside of that tradition but have deep curiosity about the questions the Calvinist tradition raises, then Reflections of a Disenchanted The Disquieting Realities of Calvinism offers a rigorous guide to exploring the depths of the tradition and critique of the tenets of Calvinism.

Genres: Theology

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2012

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Reflections..." confronts some of the very troubling issues raised by Calvinism. Rogers' intro explains some important definitions and distinctions that are critical to understanding the arguments in his book. I strongly encourage the reader not to forgo reading the intro. A helpful feature of the book is that Rogers wrote it so that the chapters on various subjects can stand by themselves, making it possible to read just that particular chapter that addresses a specific question a person has, such as "What about Romans 9?" or "What about free will?" Writing the book in this way necessitated him repeating himself a lot from chapter to chapter, which can be distracting if you are reading the book through cover to cover.

Rogers is a pastor, writing as a pastor answering questions he's been asked countless times in his years of pastoral work. For many years he himself was a Calvinist (by the definition in his Intro). However, being forced again and again to answer the questions he addresses in his book, he was led to confront what he calls the "disquieting realities" of Calvinism in relationship to what is the clear wording of many passages of Scripture and the clearly revealed nature of God in Scripture. Eventually he was compelled to abandon the unsatisfactory answers re: Calvinism and to acknowledge the flaws of that theological system.

Writing as a non-Calvinist (or as he says, a disenchanted Calvinist), he is not writing as an Arminian. That is an important distinction to understand.

The book is written largely in a "I Affirm/I Disaffirm" format, stating succinctly what he believes and what he does not believe. He then goes on to elaborate on those affirmations/disaffirmations.

I found "Reflections..." to be helpful in setting out in succinct fashion the troubling aspects of Calvinism, as well as the answers that Calvinists typically give to those issues. Those are answers I've never found satisfactory myself. As Rogers makes clear in his book, neither does he any longer.

By way of transparency, I should state that Rogers is my pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Norman, OK.

[Steve Presswood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gives some of the logical outworkings of Calvinists which many who identify as Calvinists have yet to consider. These logical outworkings do not, by themselves, make the case against the theology but if people were aware of them, most would be dissuaded from accepting the theology without more scrutiny. He further presents a strong Biblical case against many of the tenets of Calvinism and does so in a most civil tone. How good it is to see good argumentation without the rancor with which many speak or write.

[Blake Western · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author tells why he moved from believing Calvinism to a position that he describes as a disenchanted Calvinist. In fact, the author would prefer not even to use that term. He expresses his deep appreciation for Calvinists who have taught him and influenced him. He points out many areas which he considers to be double-talk and inconsistencies in Calvinism. There is much repetition in the book.