Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Tiptoeing Through the TULIPs -- Part 1 -- The Calvinistic Manifesto

My thought for Tuesdays is to discuss theology in some way. To start off with I decided that I would tackle something that is by now for me an old struggle. I spent many years and a lot of forum time debating Calvinists in my early days on the Internet. In the end I rejected the whole bundle of tulips and left it as a failed system. Failed because it has no Biblical support; it stands as a system and a system alone. It is a manifesto of sorts and a system to hang Scripture on but sometimes the Scriptures just don't stay hung and then there are some parts of the Bible you just can't stick of TULIP at all -- they contradict it.

T -- Total Depravity
U -- Unconditional Election
L -- Limited Atonement
I -- Irresistible Grace
P -- Perseverance of the Saints

It is a really easy way to remember the five points of Calvinist thought. I will go through each on in this series, lay it out for you and then debunk it. I have never had much uses for theological systems -- what do you do if they break down or are shown to be Biblically in error? I have even less use for this one and over the next month and a half I will tell you why.

Next: T -- Total Depravity and Other Myths.

2 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this. I find myself leaning toward reformed thinking, but as you say, there's no system that fits neatly into the Bible, leaving all questions answered - but wouldn't that be nice! :)

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  2. Yeah, it would be, but the more I look at it there is definitely some room to have variant opinions on things. Reformed leaning, huh? Well, I guess my thoughts of your perfection will have to go now ;-)

    Blessings

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