Did W. A. Criswell Preach Calvinism?

Having listened to this message in its entirety, I don’t know what label a person may wish to put on Dr Criswell — but I do know that he was a man of God, who faithfully preached God’s Word through and through with boldness and clarity. W A Criswell preached the Gospel – the Bible – and was not ashamed to do it. May more men do the same.

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He preached all the word of God which teaches both election, God’s
Sovereignty and the responsibility of man. To emphasize one above the other is
to become lop-sided.

He sounds like a Calvinist to me.

I also know of another well-known pastor who told me “If you had to pin me down, I’m a five point Calvinist.” Methinks there are more among us than we ever imagined.

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I have read and followed Dr. Criswell for yrs. If there is any doubt about his position, his sermons are available on the net and can be read. Additionally, I have several volumes of his works. When he comes to dealing with election, etc., he is remarkably sound. As to his position on particular redemption, I cannot say though I have heard. In any case, he was noted for believing the Bible. I once crossed swords with him on a marriage issue where I had been led to believe something about his views which he quickly let me know were the contrary of what I had been led to think he believed. It was always a pleasure to hear him preach, and I heard him a number of times over almost 50 yrs. One of the privileges I had was to preach an Easter service in a mission of the FBC of Dallas in in 1959. The mission was the George W. Truett Chapel out in one of the poorer sections of Dallas. The pastor of the mission church who was preaching a revival in Mo. sent me W. T. Conner’s book, Christian Doctrine, which I would have as a text book in college that Fall. A friend of mine got to lead the music for a revival in Alabama for George W. Truett, and a relative heard Truett preach. Both of these men were not strangers to the Sovereignty of God. Look at their comments about Spurgeon, too.

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How about if we say that it is compatible with what Calvinists believe to be true.

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The interesting Thing about the so-called calvinism (I still prefer the term Sovereign Grace) is that it is the theology of the First and Second Great Awakenings and of the origins of the Great Century of Missions. I had corresponded once with the Univ. of S. Africa about doing a Dr. of Theology on the subject of the Theology of the Great Awakenings. The persons I corresponded with stated that in view of all my training and education all I needed to do was do the research and write the dissertation. Having done research in the period from 1700-1820, I knew the theology was Sovereign Grace or Calvinism. Indeed, the leading theologian of the Awakenings, Jonathan Edwards, and the leading Evangelist of the Awakenings, George Whitefield, were outstanding believers in the doctrines of grace and they preached them. I have read their writings (not all but a great deal of them) and am even better acquainted with the Baptist ministers of that period. Their views are beyond question the same as those of Edwards and Whitefield. Even the Arminian John Wesley admitted that there were some chosen of God, some that were effectually called, some who reached a stage from which they would never fall. I always wonder at his letter of response to Whitefield in his journal. Spurgeon made note of the fact that Wesley used stronger language about God being irresistible than he(Spugeon) did. Humm! Dr. Criswell was faithful to Bible, when he dealt with those passages which speak to the issues of God’s Sovereignty in Salvation. Interestingly enough, I even heard Ev. E.J. Daniels preach a sermon once on Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the Lord.” It is of the Lord in its conception, application, continuation, and consummation. Dr. Lee held to Sovereign Grace. He once listed a group who believed in premillenialism. I believe I could out do him with a list on Sovereign Grace believers and preachers. These truths are invitations of the most intense, inviting kind. Paradoxical interventions are what they are, calling on the sinner to do the impossible which in some absurdly sensible fashion apparently restores some sense of responsiblity and wherewithal to respond. Like Charles Wesley put it in his hymn, “SEE YE BLIND, HEAR YE DEAD, LEP YE LAME FOR JOY.” Our hope for a Third Great Awakening is directly related to the theology which produced the first two, namely, Sovereign Grace or calvinism. Election as Criswell put it along with a multitude of others. My brother-in-law told me how they debated Election and Predestination in Dr. Curtis Vaughan’s class on Ephesians at Southwestern. He said he believed in these truths and invited the members of the class to try to change his views, but warned them: “Better men than you have tried and failed.” Eat your heart out (I sure wished I could have been there). God grant us another great awakening is my heart’s cry, day and night.
.-= Dr. James Willingham´s last blog ..The Climax of the Reformation =-.

If a person doesn’t adhere to 5-point Calvinism or monergistic soteriology, but DOES hold to a 3-point, synergistic position, and has a biblical foundation for his beliefs, should be castigated for his theological adherence?

The best advocacy of the truth of Sovereign Grace is that where one has come to the belief by persuasion of the facts, not by coercion – which should be anathema to any liberty loving Baptist. My ordaining pastor. Dr. Ernest R. Campbell, a supralapsarian, five point calvinist, ordained me to the ministry, when I did not give all of the requisite answers that would indicate that I held his position. Pshaw, I didn’t hold hardly any of the five points then. I had to be persuaded by the evidence on my own from my own investigation which lasted for years. This is the way it should be. I utterly detest the idea of trying to coerce someone to my position; it violates everything I know of Baptist teachings, history, etc. I might not approve of someone’s position on a theological issue, but that does not blind me to the worth God says I should set upon another believer. A little thought will suggest that people are of differing levels of maturity, attainments, etc, and I might not know as much as I think. Humility is not an option; it is a prerequisite.
.-= Dr. James Willingham´s last blog ..The Climax of the Reformation =-.

At the Building Bridges conference, Dr. Dockery stated that Dr. Criswell was basically Amryaldian i.e. a four pointer, and that Dallas Theological Seminary, which was down the street from his home, may have been an influence.

After watching and listening to several of Dr. Criswell’s sermons, I don’t think it would be inaccurate to state that some weeks he preached strongly Calvinistic messages and others you would have never guessed he was Calvinistic in the least.

When specifically addressing election he was very Calvinistic but some other messages that aren’t directly related to the issue come across as Arminian or even semi-Pelagian if you didn’t know better. One of my favorite messages, “The Decision for Damnation” seems to suggest libertarian free will, but I don’t know if he held to that or not.

I would imagine that we all make inconsistent or contradictory statements at times.
.-= Chris´s last blog ..Faith in Christ =-.