Thread: Calvinism vs. Arminianism Resources

I am trying to compile a simple and fair representation of both sides of the debate so that all honest believers may research the key debates regarding the "Doctrines of Grace" over the centuries and search the scriptures for themselves on these issues. If anyone can help, please do.

The following is what I have composed so far: (PLEASE FEEL FREE TO IMPROVE & CONTRIBUTE)

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-=Key Historic Debates
01. INTRO: (Find History summaries of the various controversies by Schaff?)

02. Augustine on Predestination / Anti-pelagian Writings--> Pelagius' Writings -->The Canons of the Council of Orange

03. Erasmus on Free Will --> Luther's Bondage of the will + Calvin on predesination, unconditional election, & irresistible grace, etc... & Turretin on misc. other subjects?

04. Arminius' Writings + 1610 "Remonstrance" --> Canons of Dort + Owen's Death of Death in the Death of Christ, An Open Display Arminianism, Continuing in the Faith, On the Nature and Causes of Apostasy, Hebrews Commentary on arminian "pet-verses"

05. Wesley's "Predestination Calmly Considered (Page. 24) + Wesley's Sermon 128 "Free Grace"+ John Wesley and George Whitefield the letters & Ian Murray commentary + Edwards' Freedom of the Will + Charles Spurgeon's Defense + Spurgeon.org's summary of Finney + Steele and Thomas' The Five Points Side-by-Side + Girardeau's Calvinism and Evangelical Arminianism

06. Why I am not a Calvinist + Chosen But Free -->Why I am not an Arminian + The Potters Freedom
ALSO: Triablogue: Calvinism vs. Arminianism
ALSO: Debating Calvinism: Five Points, Two Views (Hunt & White)
ALSO: Various Debate DVD's + Audio MP3 Debates.

07. Are there any good writings on the subject of whether or not, and/or HOW, it is possible to be "Neither a Calvinist nor an Arminian" like so many claim to be?
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Here is how I need help:

[AND The cool part is most of these works (except section #6) are available to read free online.]

Now I am obviously more familiar with the Calvinist side of the debate. So what arminian / pelagian writings am I missing? And can someone give me titles and articles to further help believers defend the armininans? (Gasp.) Now also we need someone (or perhaps I can do it myself later) to find the online links to all of these writings with both options to either A.) Read it free online OR B.)Buy the book from ______.

Finally, If I am reinventing the wheel-- please somebody let me know! I would like to have this resource available to be able to point people in the right direction.

Acts 17:10-11,
"And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Thanks,

Under Section 5 ... look at Wesley's Sermon 128

i dont know if this helps but, check this book called doctrines that divide by erwin lutzer. he give a good account over the main debates over ther years.

Originally Posted by kd116

i dont know if this helps but, check this book called doctrines that divide by erwin lutzer. he give a good account over the main debates over ther years.

Well the thing is that I am trying to compile the most important original sources of both sides...

-----Added 6/22/2009 at 03:34:04 EST-----

Originally Posted by Whitefield

Under Section 5 ... look at Wesley's Sermon 128

Great! I added it to the original post. Does anyone else have any good, key arminian resources?

Thanks again.
Adam

Look at Cranmer1959 blog (the latest as of this moment) on the Puritan Board.

One of the more recent definitive works on the subject of Calvinism and Arminianism, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination by Loraine Boetnner. There is a nice summary in the Appendix on Calvnism and Arminianism.

-----Added 6/22/2009 at 05:52:44 EST-----

If you do a google search on Calvinism and Arminianism you will find some good hits, here is a brief summary by Pastor Mike Stine

Arminianism vs. Calvinism

If you come up with a document as a result of your investigation, please post it here.

Wesley's Predestination Calmly Considered starts on page 24 of this volume.

Originally Posted by Whitefield

Wesley's Predestination Calmly Considered starts on page 24 of this volume.

GREAT! Added to OP. Thanks.

Perhaps this would fit under point 4

The Five Points Side-by-Side from Steele and Thomas.

also

Girardeau's Calvinism and Evangelical Arminianism is on my webpage.

Here are some suggestions for the Arminian defense from some of their better proponents:

Charles Finney: 'Finney's Lectures on Systematic Theology', Ed. J.H.Fairchild, Grand Rapids:Eerdmens, 1953

John Miley: 'Systematic Theology', 2 Vols (1892-94). Hendriksen, 1989. * This is probably the best defense of traditional Arminianism ever written. So says B.B. Warfield.

Thomas Oden: 'Systematic Theology', 3 Vols: 'The Living God'; 'The Word of Life'; 'Life in the Spirit'. HarperCollins 1987-1992. * Oden often sounds more Reformed in some of his writings but writes from what he describes as a 'Ancient Ecumenical-Vincentian-Anglican-Wesleyan' perspective.

Richard Watson: 'Theological institutes', 2 Vols. G. Lane and P. Sandford, 1843. * Watson is Methodist.

H. Orton Wiley: 'Christian Theology', 3 Vols. Nazarene Publishing House, 1940-43. * Wiley is from the Church of the Nazarene.

Jack Cottrell: 'What the Bible says about...
...God the Creator' Joplin Mo. College Press, 1983
...God the Ruler', 1984
...God the Redeemer', 1987

Sorry if these are a little bit to much for an intro to the subject but if people are really going to take it seriously then they'd need to challenge themselves with these Arminian works (even if they are ultimately unconvincing).

Also, I.Howard Marshall's 'Kept by the Power of God, Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1995. This was the book that made Clark Pinnock move from the Reformed faith to Arminianism (and eventually to Open Theism).

Originally Posted by Irish Presbyterian

Here are some suggestions for the Arminian defense from some of their better proponents:

Charles Finney: 'Finney's Lectures on Systematic Theology', Ed. J.H.Fairchild, Grand Rapids:Eerdmens, 1953

John Miley: 'Systematic Theology', 2 Vols (1892-94). Hendriksen, 1989. * This is probably the best defense of traditional Arminianism ever written. So says B.B. Warfield.

Thomas Oden: 'Systematic Theology', 3 Vols: 'The Living God'; 'The Word of Life'; 'Life in the Spirit'. HarperCollins 1987-1992. * Oden often sounds more Reformed in some of his writings but writes from what he describes as a 'Ancient Ecumenical-Vincentian-Anglican-Wesleyan' perspective.

Richard Watson: 'Theological institutes', 2 Vols. G. Lane and P. Sandford, 1843. * Watson is Methodist.

H. Orton Wiley: 'Christian Theology', 3 Vols. Nazarene Publishing House, 1940-43. * Wiley is from the Church of the Nazarene.

Jack Cottrell: 'What the Bible says about...
...God the Creator' Joplin Mo. College Press, 1983
...God the Ruler', 1984
...God the Redeemer', 1987

Sorry if these are a little bit to much for an intro to the subject but if people are really going to take it seriously then they'd need to challenge themselves with these Arminian works (even if they are ultimately unconvincing).

Also, I.Howard Marshall's 'Kept by the Power of God, Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1995. This was the book that made Clark Pinnock move from the Reformed faith to Arminianism (and eventually to Open Theism).

Oh my goodness. Wow.
Well do I need a special category, perhaps, "advanced" to place these under?
And what are the appropriate calvinistic works of the same caliber that should also be considered by folks who read these arminian works?

Thanks.
Adam

Originally Posted by Whitefield

Perhaps this would fit under point 4

The Five Points Side-by-Side from Steele and Thomas.

also

Girardeau's Calvinism and Evangelical Arminianism is on my webpage.

Added to OP!

Most of those works would be more advanced works from the Arminian perspective. From the Reformed said of equal scholarly weight:

Herman Bavinck: 'Reformed Dogmatics', 4 Vols. Newly released by Baker Academic.

Louis Berkhof: 'Systematic Theology', Eerdmans, 1939 * The best one volume hands down.

James Oliver Buswell: 'A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion', 2 Vols. Zondervan, 1962-1963

Robert Lewis Dabney: 'Lectures in Systematic Theology' (1878). Zondervan, 1972

Charles Hodge, 'Systematic Theology', 3 Vols. (1871-73). Eerdmans, 1970

John Murray: 'Collected Writings of John Murray', 4 Vols. Banner of Truth (1976-82)

Francis Turretin: 'Institutes of Elenctic Theology', 3 Vols. Translated by George Musgrave Giger, Ed. James Dennison. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing.

If you want to get really serious then try:

Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield, 'Complete Works', 10 Vols. Baker Publishing. * One of the best Reformed writers on any subject.

For a good modern work try:

Robert Reymond: 'A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith'. Thomas Nelson 1998. * Good with Wayne Grudem's one Volume or the works of John Frame.

advanced:

The Arminian Controversy, Chapter 25 in the The Works of William Cunningham, D.D., Vol. 3; Historical Theology, Vol 2. pages 383-525.