Has anyone read The Other Side of Calvinism by Lawrence Vance? What are your thoughts on this book?
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The Other Side of Calvinism by Vance
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Ken
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I can tell you that the following, from the Preface, is very telling:
"Concerning what could be termed the major books against Calvinism, there are at present but a few"
this is because Calvinism is nothing but the biblical account of salvation, so it is not surprising that there are few books that (attempt) to refute it....
Further, a statement like:
"The doctrines of Calvinism, if really believed and consistently practiced, are detrimental to evangelism, personal soul winning, prayer, preaching, and practical Christianity in general."
is so obviously mistaken, and a misunderstanding, and one that has been refuted so many times, it is a wonder that the author has enough gall to restate the errors, perhpas it is ignorance rather than gall... ???
Another telling quote is:
"But once again, this book was written in the hope that much of the abuse that is hurled at the Calvinistic system of theology will be sustained." (emphasis in the original)That the author intends to "hurl abuse" at Calvinists or Calvinistic theology does not speak well of his intentions or methodology.
Here are some quotes from the book that I agree with, all from the chapter entitled Calvinism and the Baptists, it will be apparent, or perhaps should be, that while I affirm the following statements, the writer of the book disparaged them, so where I and the author part ways will be shown in what I affirm and in what he denies:
The doctrines of Calvinism, if believed, are a sovereign remedy against the two great heresies in the so-called Christian world, viz: ritualism, or sacramental salvation, on the one hand, and rationalism, on the other; the one the offspring of superstition, the other, the product of infidelity.
There is no such thing as preaching Christ and him crucified, unless you preach what now-a-days is called Calvinism.
We do not recognize as true churches those who denounce the doctrines of grace as the doctrines of the Devil. We will not grant a letter to nor receive a letter from any such so-called Baptist church. We grant that a church may be weak on sovereign grace and yet retain its church status, but we do not believe that a church which violently and openly opposes sovereign grace can be a true New Testament Baptist Church."
Adam and his wife were the first to demonstrate the philosophy which came eventually to be known theologically as "Arminianism." They devised a system of soteriology which, while it included some elements of divine revelation, rested squarely upon their own wisdom rather than upon God's.
"Understand that I do verily believe that some (even many) Arminians are saved, but I adamantly insist that they were saved in the way taught by Sovereign Grace."
"Baptist orthodoxy was preserved among the Particular or Calvinistic Baptists."
"the Bible is a predestinarian book.
"Christ and His apostles" were Calvinistic,
The Apostle Paul was even a Sovereign Grace preacher.
"Christians of the New Testament times were strong believers in the greatness and sovereignty of God and consequently in the doctrines of election and predestination.
"Baptists have been Predestinarians down through the centuries, from the days of Christ."
"The longer I live the clearer does it appear that John Calvin's system is the nearest to perfection."
"Calvinism, popularly called the Doctrines of Grace, prevailed in the most influential and enduring arenas of Baptist denominational life until the end of the second decade of the twentieth century."
Spurgeon is the quintessential Calvinist. Good claims that "what David was to the forces of Israel in the days of Goliath, Spurgeon has been to the Calvinistic Baptists in our own times."
It is my firm conviction that the only theology contained in the Bible is the Reformed theology.
Christianity comes to its fullest expression in the Reformed Faith.
The apostolic doctrine was that of Reformed Theology.
The great advantage of the Reformed Faith is that in the framework of the Five Points of Calvinism it sets forth clearly what the Bible teaches concerning the way of salvation."
"if the church does not return to her Reformational shorings, she will reap the worldwind of a truncated gospel and man centered faith."
Blessings
"Concerning what could be termed the major books against Calvinism, there are at present but a few"
this is because Calvinism is nothing but the biblical account of salvation, so it is not surprising that there are few books that (attempt) to refute it....
Further, a statement like:
"The doctrines of Calvinism, if really believed and consistently practiced, are detrimental to evangelism, personal soul winning, prayer, preaching, and practical Christianity in general."
is so obviously mistaken, and a misunderstanding, and one that has been refuted so many times, it is a wonder that the author has enough gall to restate the errors, perhpas it is ignorance rather than gall... ???
Another telling quote is:
"But once again, this book was written in the hope that much of the abuse that is hurled at the Calvinistic system of theology will be sustained." (emphasis in the original)That the author intends to "hurl abuse" at Calvinists or Calvinistic theology does not speak well of his intentions or methodology.
Here are some quotes from the book that I agree with, all from the chapter entitled Calvinism and the Baptists, it will be apparent, or perhaps should be, that while I affirm the following statements, the writer of the book disparaged them, so where I and the author part ways will be shown in what I affirm and in what he denies:
The doctrines of Calvinism, if believed, are a sovereign remedy against the two great heresies in the so-called Christian world, viz: ritualism, or sacramental salvation, on the one hand, and rationalism, on the other; the one the offspring of superstition, the other, the product of infidelity.
There is no such thing as preaching Christ and him crucified, unless you preach what now-a-days is called Calvinism.
We do not recognize as true churches those who denounce the doctrines of grace as the doctrines of the Devil. We will not grant a letter to nor receive a letter from any such so-called Baptist church. We grant that a church may be weak on sovereign grace and yet retain its church status, but we do not believe that a church which violently and openly opposes sovereign grace can be a true New Testament Baptist Church."
Adam and his wife were the first to demonstrate the philosophy which came eventually to be known theologically as "Arminianism." They devised a system of soteriology which, while it included some elements of divine revelation, rested squarely upon their own wisdom rather than upon God's.
"Understand that I do verily believe that some (even many) Arminians are saved, but I adamantly insist that they were saved in the way taught by Sovereign Grace."
"Baptist orthodoxy was preserved among the Particular or Calvinistic Baptists."
"the Bible is a predestinarian book.
"Christ and His apostles" were Calvinistic,
The Apostle Paul was even a Sovereign Grace preacher.
"Christians of the New Testament times were strong believers in the greatness and sovereignty of God and consequently in the doctrines of election and predestination.
"Baptists have been Predestinarians down through the centuries, from the days of Christ."
"The longer I live the clearer does it appear that John Calvin's system is the nearest to perfection."
"Calvinism, popularly called the Doctrines of Grace, prevailed in the most influential and enduring arenas of Baptist denominational life until the end of the second decade of the twentieth century."
Spurgeon is the quintessential Calvinist. Good claims that "what David was to the forces of Israel in the days of Goliath, Spurgeon has been to the Calvinistic Baptists in our own times."
It is my firm conviction that the only theology contained in the Bible is the Reformed theology.
Christianity comes to its fullest expression in the Reformed Faith.
The apostolic doctrine was that of Reformed Theology.
The great advantage of the Reformed Faith is that in the framework of the Five Points of Calvinism it sets forth clearly what the Bible teaches concerning the way of salvation."
"if the church does not return to her Reformational shorings, she will reap the worldwind of a truncated gospel and man centered faith."
Blessings
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I actually have the book and have read most of it. I would like to get a feel of what others might think of it, especially those of the "Reformed" persuasion.
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