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victoryword
Registered Member
Date Joined Apr 2003
Total Posts : 181
| Posted 8/27/2004 2:48 AM (GMT -6) |   | Hello Armchair
I read that book almost all of the way through. It is a very THICK and comprehensive book, but I enjoyed most of it. In my opinion, it was a way better book than the one published by David Hunt on the same subject.
First Vance takes you through the history of Calvinism, beginning with Augustine. He shows you how this system developed from its major theologians. Afterwards, Vance takes on each point of TULIP by:
1. Quoting directly from Calvinist writers themselves to avoid the common Calvinist cry of misrepresentation.
2. Vance shows from the various Calvinist writings how the Calvinists contradict each other.
3. Vance deals with Calvinists prooftexts and shows how they are being misued.
4. Vance then gives Bible texts that refute the points of Calvinism.
It's excellent. Also, Vance shows some kindness to the Open View though he does not agree with it. He seems to believe that OVERs (or extreme Arminians) view of God has a better knowledge of the future than the Calvinist version.
Also, Vance has a sense of humor that makes reading the book a real pleasure. He is very witty and sarcastic.
Here are some of its weaknesses: Vance is KJV ONly (he is a Fundamentalist Baptist - go figure). With his education and intelligence, it's hard for me to understand why he would hold to the position. He even has a book defending this stance. Fortunately, he does not promote the KJV Onlyism in "The Other Side of Calvinism."
The other weakness is his position on OSAS. Not sure where you stand on that but Vance is OSAS all of the way. He claims that the "P" in TULIP and OSAS are not the same thing and sets out to prove it. While I am not OSAS, I would say that he does make a pretty good case for his position. I simply cannot embrace it because Hebrews 6 and 10 and a few other passages keep getting in my way :D
But in spite of these shortcomings, I think the book is well worth the purchase price (Unless you are a Calvinist). Another book I would recommend is Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism by C. Gordon Olson (not to be confused with the late Gordon C. Olson).
If your beliefs cannot be supported by Scripture, they ain't worth supporting
http://www.victoryword.100megspop2.com | | Back to Top | | |
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feelinahole
Registered Member
Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 754
| Posted 8/27/2004 1:09 PM (GMT -6) | | | Arm: I think it is a book well worth getting, because it has a wealth of historical information about Calvinism. However, the author delves into Augustine's and others personal life, which I found beside the point, bringing up the fact that Augustine was a vegetation (gasp!). Aside from that a good book to have. | | Back to Top | | |
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