Search Results for: like about calvinists

Here's another submission from our friend William Thornton, the SBC Plodder.  Somehow, I'm guessing this one could be a little lively. I'm of the opinion that the internet was made for Calvinists, since there seems to be so many of them who love endless discussions. I've been interacting with my Calvinistic brethren/sistren online for almost twenty years, going back to the SBC's old SBCNet Forum in the 1990s. I do like some things about them: Almost all of the calvinists I know are serious about their beliefs. An old prof said to our class years ago, "All you have is what you believe. … [Read more...] about What I like about Calvinists

Dr. Eric Hankins is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Oxford, Mississippi. He is the author of the much-discussed Traditionalist Statement and was central to the Calvinism Task Force appointed by Dr. Page, which reported at the Houston Annual Meeting. This is part 4 in the series. Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.  In this final post, I offer a response to the second question Nathan Finn puts to Traditionalists in his recent essay in the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry. Finn asks, “Who are the New Calvinists, and what have they done?” (68). Finn understands the preamble to … [Read more...] about A Response to Dr. Nathan Finn, Part 4: The New Calvinists (by Dr. Eric Hankins)

As far as I am concerned, we could change the bylaws and make Fred Luter SBC President for life. I got to travel to Israel with him back in October and it is my humble but correct opinion that the closer the next president is to Fred Luter in temperament, passion and deportment, the better we all will be. Of course, I felt the same way about Bryant Wright. He was a good man and did a good job. And I have an unabashed man-crush on Frank Page and I thought Johnny Hunt did a great job as well. But the Luter administration has been refreshing in many ways and I am sorry that it will come to an end … [Read more...] about What I’d Like to See in the Next SBC President

The Southern Baptist Convention has certainly seen a mellowing out of what came to be quite a heated debate once again over Calvinism after the publishing of "A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation" in May 2012.  Of course, Dr. Frank Page's appointment of the Calvinism Advisory Committee the next month in June 2012 and the unifying document they crafted and published in June 2013 called "Truth, Trust, and Testimony in a Time of Tension" (aka, T5) has had a great deal to do with the mellowing out we are now enjoying, or at least I … [Read more...] about But SBC Calvinists Believe That Too

I hate talking about Calvinism on this blog. I hate it. For about 6 months, I pretty much banned it, with a few slip ups that I usually regretted. When the Calvinism committee issued its report, one of the things they called for was constructive engagement. Calvinists and non-Calvinists (including Traditionalists) need to talk to one another, calmly, biblically and graciously. So, I opened the door. And, of course, foodfights ensued! So, with much fear and trepidation, I am going to enter into the fray and try to add a perspective on the subject. I am committed to seeking to build unity … [Read more...] about Maintaining Unity: What Calvinists Must Do!

I am not a church or Baptist historian. I've done some reading, but the distance between my level of learning and expertise is significant. But I watched Dr. David Dockery's explanation of Baptist history at the Kentucky Baptist Convention-sponsored conference last year, which were (not surprisingly) highly instructive. If you have not yet, I would encourage you to watch these videos, available on YouTube. Here is Part 1 and Part 2. Basically, Dockery identifies how the two streams, which he identifies as Particular Baptists and General Baptists, were present in SBC life from the very … [Read more...] about The SBC Benefits from a Balance of Calvinists and Non-Calvinists

Let me start by saying two things: I understand the arguments that have been made in favor of "traditionalist" as a designation for those who are Baptists but do not subscribe to the Calvinists' so-called "Doctrines of Grace."  They have been called Arminian, but most bristle at that.  They have been called anti-Calvinists and there are certainly a few of those around, but there are a lot of people who reject Calvinism but do not reject Calvinists.  The most common term has been non-Calvinist. But people do not want to be known simply by what they do not believe. However, in spite of … [Read more...] about Calvinists, Non-Calvinists, Traditionalists: Nomenclature Issues in the SBC

I'm going to ask our Calvinist readers to stay off this one. This is a question for those who have self-designated as "traditionalists."   I will delete comments from Calvinists on this post.  This is a non-Calvinist forum today!  You may state your views without argumentation here.  I may ask a question for clarity, but you have the floor today. Here is the question I hope some of you will answer - honestly and graciously. What is it you want from Calvinists in the SBC? Obviously, there are three simple solutions. Calvinists could abandon their doctrines. Calvinists could leave … [Read more...] about “Traditionalists” – What Do You Want from Calvinists?