Defending Calvinism

[Proeliator]

What would be the best things to read and study in order to systematically defend Calvinism to all of these non-denominational cotton candy theology Christians out there? There are so many people that just blindly believe what they are told because they think salvation will gibve them a perfect life. How can I show these people that it is not always so? Is there anywhere out there that has Reformed tracts for handing out?

 

[Antman_05]

Hmm good question i think by knowing what they are tought and know the turth through scrpiture would be the best way, but i havn't really answerd your question sorry.

 

[cygnusx1]

What would be the best things to read and study in order to systematically defend Calvinism to all of these non-denominational cotton candy theology Christians out there? There are so many people that just blindly believe what they are told because they think salvation will gibve them a perfect life. How can I show these people that it is not always so? Is there anywhere out there that has Reformed tracts for handing out?

The book 'The Sovereignty of God' the edited small paperback edition.(Banner of Truth)

I used to give out this book like a tract

 

[5solas]

The book 'The Sovereignty of God' the edited small paperback edition.(Banner of Truth)

I used to give out this book like a tract

you can read it online here

 

[cygnusx1]

For those who want a short cut to defending Calvinism may I recommend .....

 

[5solas]

For those who want a short cut to defending Calvinism may I recommend .....

Might I suggest this?

 

[cygnusx1]

Might I suggest this?

I would do a Woody Allen and take all of them!!!

 

[Proeliator]

Great stuff!! Any chance someone can point me in the direction of some systematic studies on TULIP etc?

 

[frumanchu]

There's a book I highly recommend called The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended and Documented by Steele, Thomas & Quinn. You can purchase it here among other places. I first got a copy from my mother...it was used as a textbook for one of her seminary classes. Eventually I bought my own copy and returned hers

 

[5solas]

I recommend "The Doctrines of Grace - Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel" by James Montgomery Boice and Philip Graham Ryken
ISBN 1-58134-299-3

have a look here

or "The Five Points of Calvinism, enlarged Edition; A Study Guide by Edwin H. Palmer"
ISBN 0-8010-6926-2

have a look here

 

[5solas]

Great stuff!! Any chance someone can point me in the direction of some systematic studies on TULIP etc?

yes, just browse this page (see on the left side bar) www.monergism.com

to make it easier for you here is the direct link

 

[Imblessed]

I thought Grace Unknown, The Heart of Reformed Theology by R.C. Sproul was good.


It's the first book I read after I heard of reformed theology and TULIP , and I found it was very basic and easy to understand. Good book for someone who has no idea what it all is.

 

[Proeliator]

yes, just browse this page (see on the left side bar) www.monergism.com

to make it easier for you here is the direct link

I have had them bookmarked for a while now, I just cant reall figure out where to start

 

[5solas]

....... I just cant reall figure out where to start

with the first one?
top-down?
every second article?
.........

 

[calmcoolandelected]

Great stuff!! Any chance someone can point me in the direction of some systematic studies on TULIP etc?

I was going to recommend Steele's 5 Points of Calvinism, but it looks like someone beat me to it! I loaned my old copy to my charasmaniac sister and ordered the new, revised version last week.

CC&E

 

[tigersnare]

I was going to recommend Steele's 5 Points of Calvinism, but it looks like someone beat me to it! I loaned my old copy to my charasmaniac sister and ordered the new, revised version last week.

CC&E

Couldn't recommend this book enough.

 

[Defcon]

Steele's 5 points is great. I also like the book I read that changed me over to reformed theology "Doctrines that Divide" by Erwin Lutzer. The book covers a few topics (Mary, eucharist, etc.) but the last 5 chapters are dedicated to predestination vs. freewill from Augustine to Whitefield (Luther and Calvin are covered as well). Both sides are presented so you can see the argument and rebuttal. It's a great resource for this topic and other topics as well.

 

[cygnusx1]

It is a really good idea I think to have an overview of History and Calvinist and Arminian beliefs , to grasp why , where (and who) these doctrines came about ...... like the Doctrine of the Trinity they didn't just pop into someones head , they took work , study and often hot debate , with also a few pitfalls along the way ........


I would strongly recommend Alan Sell's book 'The Great Debate' ........ I couldn't put it down , it is the best book on Calvinism and it's friends and foes through history that I know .......... it brings Doctrine to life , to see the way groups have grown around it.


The great debate: Calvinism, Arminianism, and salvation (Studies in Christian thought and history) (Unknown Binding)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/085479042X/104-4288183-6379165?v=glance

 

[EnglishPuritan]

What would be the best things to read and study in order to systematically defend Calvinism to all of these non-denominational cotton candy theology Christians out there? There are so many people that just blindly believe what they are told because they think salvation will gibve them a perfect life. How can I show these people that it is not always so? Is there anywhere out there that has Reformed tracts for handing out?

How about writing your own?

 

[Augustine_Was_Calvinist]

What would be the best things to read and study in order to systematically defend Calvinism to all of these non-denominational cotton candy theology Christians out there? There are so many people that just blindly believe what they are told because they think salvation will gibve them a perfect life. How can I show these people that it is not always so? Is there anywhere out there that has Reformed tracts for handing out?

Here are a few very good Reformed websites for study:

www.monergism.com (my personal favorite)

www.reformed.org

www.alliancenet.org (thats the site for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals)

www.desiringgod.org (that is John Piper's website)

www.reformednet.org

www.aomin.org (that is James White's site, another of my favorites and probably one yule find most helpful since it is an apologetic page)

I hope those help.