Recently acquired this book:

Chosen but Free A Balanced View of Divine Election by Norman Geisler.

This is the second edition that includes a response to The Potter's Freedom by James White. Has anyone read this book?

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John Komenda
Symphony Bible Church
Conservative Baptist
Buffalo, New York

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. Is.65:24 ESV

Geisler reminds me of a man who has one foot on the dock and one foot on the rowboat. Trying to keep one's balance and not get wet in such a situation is very wearisome.

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Lance G. Marshall
Pastor
Georgetown, Indiana

Here is a summary of the book:

Arminians and Calvinists can get together if the Calvinists would be willing to become Arminians.

It really is a ground breaking approach because this same technique could be used to bring any two groups together.

I think the world of Dr. Geisler, I stood up at his daughter's wedding but this book is not the best scholarship out there.

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Bob Vigneault C.O.L, L.E., G.E, Dr.O.P., O.U.T.
The Heartbeat of Heaven (blog)
Deacon/Christ Presbyterian Church, Janesville, WI OPC www.christ-opc.org

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Thank you for the information.

I only paid $2.00 for the book and the title caught my eye.

It's worth every penny, as long as you read Dr. White's book as well.

The Potter's Freedom is a great response to Chosen but Free.

I agree with Bob, it's not one of Geisler's better achievements.

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Donald Jacobs
Roanoke VA.
Covenant Reformed Episcopal Church.

Cum vero infirmor tunc potens sum.

It is proof that when you try to argue against the truth, you must go to such extremes to make your case that you often look foolish and flaky. Considering the horse power under the hood of the Geisler machine, this is both sad and such a waste.

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Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I agree that it is worth the time to read both White's and Geisler's works in tandem.

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We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

Geisler... isn't he a "moderate calvinist"?

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Michael Tremmel
attending Christ Reformed Baptist Church
Hales Corners, WI.

Isaiah 46:5-11

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Ps.16:8 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 1 Cor.15:10a ESV

Praecepta docent, exempla movent (precepts teach, but examples move)

This book is the worst, most embarrassing book that I have read on the topic that was written by a "scholar." It is just so poorly done. I actually felt bad for Geisler as I read his arguments.

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Jon Peters
Member, Reformation Fellowship (OPC) (Roseville, CA)
Folsom, CA

I think someone (maybe an undergrad student who is taking Logic 101) should have checked out Geisler's logic. At times his logical gymnastics and mistakes are humorous, at times sad. Take this one for example on pg. 24 What? Is Geisler saying that because the painter is not painted, he or she is therefore uncaused? The part in bold face print would receive a lot of red ink from a professor of logic. That is one of the more sophomoric proofs to an argument I've seen. The book is full of such nonsense.

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-----Added 3/3/2009 at 07:21:05 EST-----

I heartely I agree with this assessment !

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~ Steven Bradford ~
Member Covenant Presbyterian, Chattanooga, TN

Indeed! Get White's book and toss Geisler's into the fire.

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Patrick
Member, PCA
Chandler, AZ
ReformedTheologyInstitute.com

I fear explanations explanatory of things explained.

That's an expression I grew up with. I was one of the groomsmen at her wedding. She married a dear friend of mine. Norm used to come up to my wife's little rural church in New Berlin, WI to preach now and then. He was at Trinity when I was there. Norm is a great fellow. He took a nasty punch from Trinity Sem back in the 80s for defending the physical resurrection of Christ. Murray Harris disagreed and the seminary backed him up. Norm was cast out of Trinity and the president of the EFC declared that Norm was to be treated as a sinner and a tax collector.

I have great respect for him. That aside, this book is bad scholarshipl

DON'T THROW IT IN THE FIRE!

First, learn to refute his arguments yourself. This is good practice. Don't make others do all your spade work. This is a good exercise in learning critical thinking and defending the doctrine of election.

Second, when you can argue against the book, SELL IT on Amazon and use the money to buy another book.

I read this book twice as an arminian back in the day and It still didnt make much sense to me,everyone I knew was all giddy about this book and I have no idea why,and to this day they will hail him as their poster boy for anti-calvinism,it's a slight exaggeration but basically true,I witnessed this last year when Norman came to our church (it's a long story) to speak on the Emerging Church,but of course mixed in with that came the comments about Calvinism "if that's true then that would make God a divine rapist".Im not joking,George Bryson whos also this church's hero and published "The Dark side of Calvinism" is also one to use this phrase in relation to God saving freely according to His own purpose,I could go on and it wouldnt be constructive,so needless to say I would not read this book unless you need to challenge non-calvinists who are looking for a fight,otherwise study the real thing,for instance when a bank hires a new teller part of their traning consists not in having them handle counterfeit bills in order to become familiar with them but to handle the genuine article real bills and then when the counterfeit comes along they can immediately recognize them and handle them properly,Geisler's Chosen But Free is counterfeit Theology and should be handled as such,I hope you dont feel that I'm unloving toward our brother Norman,but,I do believe God's Glory and Honor are the issue here and there must be more expected of someone in such a high position

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Brian
Grace Bible Church;E.Bridgewater
East Bridgewater MA
http://www.gracebiblehome.org

Dr. White responds to the response to Potter's Freedom on youtube...you should check it out.

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soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

What? No link?

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Kevin - PCA - Mississippi

"What, for some, is sin, others do to the glory of God. And the good Dr. Pentecost's remarks notwithstanding, I intend to go home tonight and smoke a cigar to the glory of God. It is a kind of incense drifting to Heaven." - Charles Spurgeon

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15

Yeah, I've read it.

I think my favorite part is where he proves that humans have free will because Jesus had free will.

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Jonathan
Audio Engineer
Reformed Anabaptist
Ohio

Moroni's magical glasses of proper interpretation:

$2.00 sounds pricey to me but I guess worth the investment to at least be able to speak intelligently to those who swoon over this book.

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Wayne Whitmer
Member, Rio Rancho OPC
Albuquerque, NM