A Middle Ground

[chadMiddleMan]

For a long time I was a staunch Arminian. My Calvinist buddy and I would debate back and forth, each holding forth the “obvious” scriptures which supported our positions, and then doing as many hermeneutical gymnastics as we could to explain the opposing side’s scriptures. Although these conversations were frustrating at times, I learned several things:

• The importance of dealing comprehensively with an issue, looking at all related passages rather than a mere handful of verses that supported my position
• How to appreciate someone else’s well-thought-out position, and take the time to respectfully dialog about it rather than quickly (and ignorantly) discarding it as a “heresy”
• How to be gracious towards other views, especially those with deep historical footing. None of these debates are new, and it would behoove modern Christians to learn when, why, and how different views arose in theological history.

As always, I landed somewhere in the middle ground, which I believe is where the truth lies. Although I’m never too keen on belonging to a “camp” labeled by a historic theologian’s name, I guess you can call me Baxterian. This label is named after the famous Puritan, Richard Baxter. Baxter held a mediate position. Some Arminians claimed he was too Calvinistic. Some Calvinists claimed he was too Arminian. But he didn’t care, because he was more interested in scriptural fidelity than adherence to a tight system. In his book, Catholick Theologie: Plain, Pure, Peaceable, for Pacification of the Dogmatical Word-warriourshttps://themiddleground01.wordpress...nism-or-calvinist-friendly-arminianism/#_edn1 (I love this title!), he interrogates hypothetical teachers on both sides of the debate, showing them just how close they could come to agreement in the middle ground. This book is a masterpiece, though it’s hard to find online. My goal in the below article is to review the main points of the Calvinist and Arminian systems and then show Baxter’s mediating arguments to bridge the gap between these opposing theological positions.

An Arminian Friendly Calvinism, (or Calvinist friendly Arminianism?)

 

[Tra Phull]

A is not Non-A.

 

[chadMiddleMan]

Tra Phull... You're exactly right, but we're dealing with systems of theology with several A's, B's, C's, etc.... Not just one simple A or Non-A. For example, if one system is "1=1 and Tom=Harry", and another system is "1=1 and Jim=Harry", both systems are false as a whole, but both systems shared the truth 1=1. They had some common Ground. The new system in the Middle might be, "1=1 and Harry=Harry".

 

[Tra Phull]

My custom title used to be "Neo-Middle" - a girl in college used that term to describe herself.

I went back to Arminian Commando after seeing your Middle Ground posts.

Did Jesus die for the sins of the whole world, or not?

 

[Tra Phull]

Jesus loves the little children
Some of all types of all the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
Some are precious in His sight
Jesus loves some of the children of the world

The logical conclusion of Limited Atonement.

 

[chadMiddleMan]

My custom title used to be "Neo-Middle" - a girl in college used that term to describe herself.

I went back to Arminian Commando after seeing your Middle Ground posts.

Did Jesus die for the sins of the whole world, or not?

LOL... I like your sense of humor

I address that question near the end of my article. If you want to engage in discussion, you're welcome to go to that section and read it. Anyhow, my short answer is "Yes". But the as with any A vs Non-A discussion, "A" has to be defined, and many people don't even really know what they mean by "A".

 

[chadMiddleMan]

Jesus loves the little children
Some of all types of all the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
Some are precious in His sight
Jesus loves some of the children of the world

The logical conclusion of Limited Atonement.

A Christian Universalist would claim that this is the logical conclusion of Arminianism as well. Does God "love" the little children who grow up and don't choose him? Does God love the idea of letting them choose more than he loves them? Would you love your child enough to tackle them and prevent their free will if they were "choosing" to attempt suicide? As the songwriter asks, "what is love?"

 

[Tra Phull]

It's hard to keep up with all the rules, but bringing Christian Universalists into the deal may be limited to Controversial Christian doctrine...

 

[frumanchu]

Tra Phull... You're exactly right, but we're dealing with systems of theology with several A's, B's, C's, etc.... Not just one simple A or Non-A. For example, if one system is "1=1 and Tom=Harry", and another system is "1=1 and Jim=Harry", both systems are false as a whole, but both systems shared the truth 1=1. They had some common Ground. The new system in the Middle might be, "1=1 and Harry=Harry".

I think the point is it depends on your terms. Strictly speaking, "Arminianism" historically refers to the Five Articles of Remonstrance put forth by the followers of Arminius, and the "Five Points of Calvinism" refer to the points of refutation given at the Synod of Dort. In that context, Arminianism and Calvinism are directly opposed and cannot be reconciled and still be called either.

 

[frumanchu]

It's hard to keep up with all the rules, but bringing Christian Universalists into the deal may be limited to Controversial Christian doctrine...

I don't think anyone here is advocating for or defending Universalism.

 

[bling]

A Christian Universalist would claim that this is the logical conclusion of Arminianism as well. Does God "love" the little children who grow up and don't choose him? Does God love the idea of letting them choose more than he loves them? Would you love your child enough to tackle them and prevent their free will if they were "choosing" to attempt suicide? As the songwriter asks, "what is love?"

Yes, God Loves even those who go to hell.

Some people will go to hell.

This messed up world with: satan roaming the earth, Christ having to go to the cross, tragedies of all kinds, hell, death and even sin, is the very best situation for willing individuals to fulfill their earthly objective.

So, what is man’s objective?