Calvin on the Ropes

At the moment, there are two powerful trends developing within evangelicalism: a pernicious postmodernism that demeans moral and intellectual certainty and presses for accommodation among competing "truths" – a postmodernism that's now "institutionalizing" itself among many of the so-called "emerging churches;" and a resurgent five point Calvinism that casts itself in opposition to postmodernism and, therefore, appeals to college Christians who are desperately looking for a spiritual and intellectual mooring that will safeguard their beliefs from being swept into a sea of relativism. In short, the one, postmodernism and the relativism it's producing among American intellectuals, has led to the other, a resurgence of five point Calvinism. Calvinism is closely argued, tightly bound, and scrupulously logical. Its logic, however, is its undoing – because it argues Calvinist conclusions from Calvinist premises that don't always line up with the Biblical text. The whole edifice rests on a flawed foundation that a careful exegesis of Romans reveals to anyone who is equipped with a little background in pre-modern thought. _____________________________ Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes: This book is highly recommended to both Dispensational Calvinists and Covenantal Calvinists as well as to Arminians, and also to all of those who do not see themselves in any of these categories for an honest evaluation of what the Book of Romans really says about God's program for salvation and God's program for Israel. Arnold Fruchtenbaum Ariel Ministries Douglas Shearer has recently retired from pastoring the church he helped to found in 1982. He and his wife Sita have been married for 45 years – and together have raised four children – two sons and two daughters: Kendra, Greg, Alan, and Margo. They are all married and raising families of their own – each of them and their spouses dedicated to serving the Lord.