Calvinists? Arminians?

asajoseph · Post by **asajoseph** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:59 pm

Just out of interest, I was wondering what sort of spread here? Self description is the only requirement...

Burbot · Post by **Burbot** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:21 am

Ok, I understand now. Thanks. So, yeah, I guess I'd be Arminian.

Jester · Post by **Jester** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:26 am

Would anyone mind defining "Open Theist" for me?
I'm not familliar with that term.

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 11:05 am

Jester wrote:Would anyone mind defining "Open Theist" for me?
I'm not familliar with that term.

Open Theism on Wikipedia wrote:Open Theism is a foundational theology that attempts to explain the practical relationship between the free will of man and the sovereignty of God. Based on traditional Arminian theology, Open Theism expounds on the idea of free will. One of the key advocates for open theism,
Dr. John Sanders, describes the view of God’s sovereignty: wrote:That God changes in some respects implies that God is temporal, working with us in time. God, at least since Creation, experiences duration. God is everlasting through time rather than timelessly eternal... We believe that God could have known every event of the future had God decided to create a fully determined universe. However, in our view, God decided to create beings with interdeterministic freedom which implies that God chose to create a universe in which the future is not entirely knowable, even for God. For many open theists, the “future” is not a present reality – it does not exist – and God knows reality as it is.[1]
Practically, Open Theism makes the case for a personal God who is able to be influenced through prayer, decisions, and actions of people. Although unknowing of the future, God has predictive (anticipatory) foreknowledge of the future through his intimate knowledge of each individual. As such, he is able to anticipate the future, yet remains fluid to respond and react to prayer and decisions made either contrary or advantageous to His plan or presuppositions.

Open theism on Theopedia

Jester · Post by **Jester** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:13 pm

Thank you. I suppose I should have looked those up. Strange it didn't occur to me.

Thanks for humoring me just the same.

Salt Agent · Post by **Salt Agent** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:03 pm

Greetings in Christ,

OK, so I guess i am an ethnic and theological goulash. Im Irish American, Scots, French, American Citizen living in Szczecin, Poland, which was formerly Stettin Germany.

Growing up i attended an Arminian Church while attending a private Calvinist High School. Long and short of it, I am Calminian. If you push me in a Corner i am Arminian, but agree that there are radical extremes to both sides.

I have attended everything from Bible Methodist, Nazarene, Independent Baptist, Church of God Holiness, PCA to Evangelical Free Church of America.

I have found that the mark of maturity of a believer is not whether they are Calvinist or Arminian, but do they extend grace to other believers who don't share the same views.

I agree this is not really the forum for a debate; here's a fun excercise. Make a list side by side of the Initials for the Five Points of Calvinism and Five articles of Remonstrance, and just go through and write down the verses for each point that explicitly state that position, and then verses that imply but maybe not explicitly. I use ** to mark the explicit, black and white verses. Really is a great exercise.

I believe it was Wesley who said that In God's mind there was no contradiction. Somehow, God is totally sovereign and man has a responsibility.

Grace and Peace.

Got to love this quote by Luther,

"Deny the Trinity and you lose your salvation.
Explain it and you lose your mind."

Salt Agent, in Poland.

Salt Agent · Post by **Salt Agent** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:18 pm

McCulloch wrote: Practically, Open Theism makes the case for a personal God who is able to be influenced through prayer, decisions, and actions of people. Although unknowing of the future, God has predictive (anticipatory) foreknowledge of the future through his intimate knowledge of each individual. As such, he is able to anticipate the future, yet remains fluid to respond and react to prayer and decisions made either contrary or advantageous to His plan or presuppositions.

Another caveaton this -- or other views of one doctrine, like the different views on Calvinism...
1. is that God is totally omniscient, that He has the power to know all events, thoughts and choices past, present and future, but chooses not to see those choices or events like parents who have the tools and technology to see the sex of an unborn child by ultrasound, but they choose to not see for a myriad of reasons.

Not saying i agree with Open Theism, but simply that there are many facets and nuances, and that for many open Theism means denying God's omnisciance
and for many others, it means an Interactive God who hears, and responds to prayers and fasting of believers in a way that He would not have otherwise.

In otherwords, many people react to Open Theism when it doesn't necessarily mean denying that God is totally omniscient.

Salt Agent · Post by **Salt Agent** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:37 pm

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... php?t=7231

Hey I am really interested if there is any kind of correlation between one's position on Calvinism vs Arminianism, and the various different positions regarding creation. Gap Theory, Calender Day-- six literal sequential days, or Day Age --Six Ages or Eras of Creation.

I don't know how to make it show as a poll, but would love your help on this. I have a theory, but i don't want to make anyone bias. It would make a very interesting thread, if there is a correlation between the two doctrines, and we would get a ton of mileage out of that.
I need to be able to have some numbers to help refute or support my theory.

Salt Agent · Post by **Salt Agent** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:41 pm

Greetings,

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... php?t=7231

Hey I am really interested if there is any kind of correlation between one's position on Calvinism vs Arminianism, and the various different positions regarding creation. Gap Theory, Calender Day-- six literal sequential days, or Day Age --Six Ages or Eras of Creation.

I don't know how to make it show as a poll, but would love your help on this. I have a theory, but i don't want to make anyone bias. It would make a very interesting thread, if there is a correlation between the two doctrines, and we would get a ton of mileage out of that.
I need to be able to have some numbers to help refute or support my theory. Maybe Olsteng or Achilles, could show me how to link or post the link in the Calvinism vs Arminian threads, or the tons of "Free Will" threads.

Cordially Salt Agent.

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Calvinists? Arminians?

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Greetings from Central Europe.