Product Description

After a brief survey of the historical development of the theological school now known as Calvinism and a comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism, Brown turns to a consideration of five dilemmas that Arminians typically associate with Reformed doctrines. The author then attempts to demonstrate that these problems are largely misunderstandings of Calvinism.

Written in a winsome and engaging style, Brown s work is an excellent primer on Calvinism and some of the critiques that have been leveled against it. As such, the book provides both apologetic help for Calvinists and answers for Arminians with honest questions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #241604 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 127 pages

Review
A great primer on historic Calvinism. I have read through this book twice now, and am currently using it to teach my Sunday school class. Craig Brown has written clearly on several very difficult doctrines in an easily understandable fashion. I am gladly handing this out as a resource, and am grateful to be teaching through it. Most importantly, Brown lays a Scriptural foundation in each chapter that is irrefutable and contextually accurate. For all who have ever denied Calvinism, this is a great book to set the record straight on some of the most common misconceptions in the church today. --Ligonier Ministries Website

Craig Brown battles misunderstandings that have dogged Calvinism for long years. In so doing, he provides apologetic help for Calvinists stymied by the misinformed questions of their Arminian friends. And, of course, he kindles light for those who have never considered alternatives to the Arminian system. --Foreword

About the Author
Craig R. Brown holds a degree in business administration from Geneva College and is the president and CEO of Renaissance Nutrition, Inc. He has served as a ruling elder in both the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church of America.

Customer Reviews

Pocket Encyclopedia on Calvinism
Well, maybe this is not a full encyclopedia of all the truths of Calvinism, the author has given us a truly magnificent little book (a good, solid, and fast read) on the basics of Calvinism and Arminianism. But the author goes one step further, he wanders the hallways of our hearts as we wrestle with Calvinism as it relates to obedience, free will, evangelism, children who die young, missions, and more. Taking a devil's advocate position in several of the chapters, the author has a conversation with himself about issues that some Calvinists don't always address in their books, and then he takes the conversation to the Scriptures and and lets the context of the passages (and not just the lexicon) define the terms, the issues, and the questions that haunt some people as they think of Calvinism as the mere puppetry of God. The author does not come across as headstrong or seeking a bully-pulpit, but instead, seeks to help the reader find some honest, biblical answers to the seeming dilemmas posed by the Calvinistic position. I found the short volume quite refreshing in style, in thinking, and in content. I will not say I agreed with everything he says (despite being a Calvinist myself), but it gave me even more content to chew upon. If the reader walks away with anything, s/he walks away from the book with a lot more to think about, to contemplate, to study, and to discuss. An excellent read and a volume that adds much to the discussions for real people asking real questions. An excellent tool for any family, small group, or for teaching.

The Five Dilemmas
Please pardon the sluggish genesis of my review, but I would like for the individual reading this to take a glimpse at the state of being in which I was in when reading the work.

From the outset I just want to state that I was only planning to read
the chapter on evil when I first encountered this work, and borrowed it from the library. Thus, instead of wasting and not spending time on something LORD-centered, I decided to read the work as a whole instead.
As I was grasping the literature's words with my mind, excitement and comfort came as I thought I would spend the entire morning reading a joyous work.

Now, to state what eclipsed my joy with outrage (to use the word loosely); In his first chapter, brother Craig R. Brown goes through
some Church history with us. Please note that I will state all the problems that I have with his work in chronological order:

1. The Author quotes 2Peter 2:1 on page 14 to make the point that
we should be prepared to deal with heresies (something along these lines is what he writes). This implied to me that anything other than Reformed Theology (which I line up with) is heresy.

2. On pages 15/16 he presses forth the history of Pelagianism & Semi-Pelagianism and how it was condemned as heresy, and it was done rightly so of course. He gives us a brief idea of what these teachings are, and is essential to the point I'm trying to make, so please take note.

3. On page 19 the author writes on how Arminianism's beliefs as expressed in the Remonstance were nothing new but a rehashing of the beliefs mentioned in point #2. As I looked immediately at the footnote, the book which he quotes is a work that is directed towards Arminianism in some of it's pages. This too is essential so please be patient as I build up to my climax.

4. On page 20 I find that he, like other Calvinists, stated the same utter falsehood that seriously enrages me! "Paul was a Calvinist"
Sir, placing an Apostle in the same sentence with Augustine & Luther doesn't make a difference for the very reason that his written words were inspired, theirs weren't. To say that his theology lines with Calvinism is one thing, but to say that he himself was a Calvinist is going too far. If anything the Calvinist is a 'Paulinian'.
Not trying to build a straw-man here so I'll set forward.

5. On page 21 he states that he spent a long time studying Church history, I'm not calling him a liar but the words that come up later in the work make me question if he got his information from biased or misinformed sources (point #3). He makes the statement and implies that if you're Arminian you're seeing God and man like this: GOD - MAN
And that he believes that by the end of his work you'll see the relationship like this: GOD - man (If read with an open mind/heart of course). I'm not going to refute this although I don't agree with it, as I believe there are those with this view. Yet why should Arminians read this with an open-mind when according to point #1 it seems as though he doesn't think this way, and won't about Arminianism.

6. After describing what the T in TULIP stands for he writes in page 25 that Arminianism, by contrast, proclaims free will or human ability and that we haven't been left in a state of total helplessness (after the fall) but that according to Arminianism we are born "good", as where Calvinism teaches that we are born dead in sin. This was the last I could take and decided not even to read the work any further, or my copy of The Five Points Of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented that he quotes because it leads me to believe that I can't trust these sources on what real Arminianism is. I feel like I'm being indoctrinated into rejecting Arminianism without studying it further.

Now, for my point : Yes, a lot of what the author writes is true, but it seems as though he either built a straw-army to defend his views against, or is refuting the heresies mentioned in point #2!
What the followers of Arminius taught differs from what Arminius himself taught. Arminius held to Total Depravity & Perseverance, it was his followers who differed on this between themselves. So the statement that we aren't dead in sins or left helpless, is fallacious, otherwise why would we need prevenient grace? What [Classical Arminianism] (which I am guarding) states is that it is GOD not man who is the initiator not us (in salvation, hence the drawing), and that we don't have a "free-will" but a "freed-will", notice the distinction. I wouldn't like people misrepresenting my views, so we shouldn't do it to others. Dr. Sproul's Forward wasn't helpful either saying that "the tentes of Arminianism taste sweeter to our human sinful natures".

I am NOT a Classical Arminian, and know that the author was not refuting this position, obviously he couldn't have been. I hold to the five points of Calvinism but will seriously consider studying both sides after this.

-I recommend Roger E. Olson's Arminian Theology. It doesn't attack nor argue against Calvinism but clears up a lot of misconceptions, myths, and misinterpretations of Classical Arminianism.-

{I do recommend this book for those who are Calvinists, have studied both sides, and want to strengthen their theology} I know that this review might offend some but I write some of this in sincerity (the rest in disappointment), and compared to my other reviews is probably the worst. I started writing this with seeming calmness to a little hostility but wouldn't want the author to take it too personal as I have nothing against him and recommend the book to the Christians noted. The pricing is great and some of it's points as well.}


-Young Man

A Good Introduction to the Reformed Faith
If you are looking for a basic primer on the Reformed Faith, this is a good place to start. The author capably answers (in a basic, easily understandable manner) several issues people (dare I say, Arminians?) typically have with the 5 points of Calvinism. If, after reading this you would like to take the "next step" in exploring the Reformed Faith, I would point you to R.C. Sproul's "What Is Reformed Theology?" It explores the 5 points in a little more detail while still being easily readable.