Roger E. Olson's Blog, page 165

Must One Agree with Arminius to be Arminian?

Must One Agree with Arminius to be Arminian? I will be responding to two new books about Arminius at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. The session is A24-274 Evangelical Studies Group and Open and Relational Theologies Group (joint meeting of two program units). The Theme is “Arminius and Open Theology” [Read More...]

Needed: Robust Arminian Theology for Lay People (Especially Youth)

Needed: Robust Arminian Theology for Lay People (Especially Youth) As most people who come here know, a “new Calvinism” movement (some prefer to call it “neo-Puritanism” and others call it the “Young, Restless, Reformed” movement is spreading like wildfire among evangelical Christians, especially young people in their late teens and twenties. To an alarming degree [Read More...]

Christianity and Science: How They Relate to Each Other in Modern Theology

Christianity and Science: How They Relate to Each Other in Modern Theology The unifying theme of my newly published book The Journey of Modern Theology: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction (IVP) is Christian theological responses and reactions to modernity. Modernity is, of course, that cultural ethos stemming from the Enlightenment and the scientific revolutions of the [Read More...]

“The Journey of Modern Theology” Is Published!

Yesterday I received from the publisher complimentary author’s copies of The Journey of Modern Theology: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction (InterVarsity Press). Amazon says its publication date is December 1, but it is now available from the publisher if not from Amazon. And I’m sure it can be ordered at any bookstore. It is in the [Read More...]

Right, Wrong, and Necessary

Right, Wrong, and Necessary It seems that many people think that in every situation of moral decision making there are two options and two only: right and wrong. By “right” I mean what one ought to do in order to be obedient to the highest moral law (whatever that may be). By “wrong” I mean [Read More...]

What it looks like when God is busy among us

What it looks like when God is busy among us Recently I asked readers to suggest what it looks like when Stanley Hauerwas’s test of the church being the church is met—when God is busy among us. Many have offered interesting and sometimes helpful ideas and images here. Of course, since this is my blog, [Read More...]

How Do We Know When God Is “Busy” Among Us?

How Do We Know When God is “Busy” Among Us? Theologian Stanley Hauerwas says that the only evidence of the church being the church is when God is busy among us. I like that. If I recall correctly he also says God being busy among is the only real proof of God’s existence. My question [Read More...]

Scripture and Tradition Again: What John Calvin Said

Scripture and Tradition Again: What John Calvin Said I hoped my quarrel with Gerald McDermott had ceased, but apparently that is not the case. I often receive e-mails informing me that he contends in blogs here or there that my view of Scripture and tradition is dangerous. He does not claim that I am liberal [Read More...]

“Strange Fire?” Fundamentalists and the Holy Spirit

“Strange Fire?” Fundamentalists and the Holy Spirit Just this month fundamentalist-Calvinist pastor John MacArthur, host of the “Grace to You” radio program and author of numerous books (including Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship [2013]) hosted an anti-Pentecostal, anti-charismatic conference in Southern California called “Strange Fire.” You can check [Read More...]

A Guest Post: “Three Reasons Why I Preach An Arminian Theology”

“Three Reasons Why I Preach An Arminian Theology” by T. E. Hanna (Guest Post) I think it is fair to say that our contemporary Christian subculture is saturated in a Reformed theology. This isn’t necessarily bad. Many of these voices hail from brilliant scholars whose knowledge and wisdom adds powerful depth and vibrancy to our [Read More...]