Reformed Theology

Six Ways That John Calvin Speaks about Free Will

August 26, 2020 by wagraham 1 Comment

John Calvin speaks about free will in the following six ways:

1. Adam had free will and freely chose to sin.

2. Adam lost free will because free will requires the mind to deliberate and to discern good from evil before choosing one of these ends. In this sense, free will no longer exists in humans because our natures have become corrupted.

Episode 9: Paul Maxwell on Trauma in Reformed Theology

July 14, 2020 by wagraham 2 Comments

In this episode, Paul Maxwell and I talk about his work on trauma and reformed theology. He argues that reformed theology conceptually teaches good and true dogma but that the individual experience of this theology among those who have experienced trauma needs to be considered. Maximal control and overly negative views of human nature can affect some people in unhelpful ways.

One of the most exciting parts about hosting a podcast like this is that I can learn from those with whom I disagree. Here, that is partially the case. But I learned more about reformed thinking and trauma and was challenged to think self-reflectively. I hope the same thing is true for you too when you hear Paul speak.

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts. Also, see the host page at Anchor. And bookmark this page to see every episode.

How One Remonstrant Historian Remembered the Calvinist Theologian Franciscus Junius (1545–1602): “You have contended falsehood by truth, hatred by love.”

January 3, 2019 by wagraham Leave a Comment

How do you want your enemies to remember you? A strong-willed battler? A powerful opponent? Or someone who used “reason’s gentle power?”

This was how one Remonstrant (Arminian) historian described Franciscus Junius (1545–1602). Junius contributed significantly to Reformed theology after John Calvin.