Getting the Gospel Right: A Balanced View of Calvinism and Arminianism

by C. Gordon Olson

A revised and abridged edition of Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism: An Inductive Mediate Theologyof Salvation, in Which theologian/missiologist Olson gives the fruit of a 25-year theological... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0962485063
• ISBN13: 9780962485060
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Global Gospel Publishers
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An Important Work in the Area of Soteriology

Dr. Olson has presented an abridged edition of his earlier work, "Beyond Arminianism and Calvinism" for a broader audience; he hits right on target with his presentation. I read this book a few years back and cannot tell you how much the Spirit of God used it to expand and reinforce my conviction on the study of salvation to a third option, one separate from Calvinism and Arminianism. Dr. Olson gives thorough treatments on the nature of depravity, how we are created in God's image, key word studies on important terms such as 'saved', 'dead', etc., and works through all of this in a very systematic and orderly fashion. It is clear that this book is the result of his life's work, and explains, as he calls it, his theological 'pilgrimage'. A couple other reviewers did an excellent job assessing his overall responses to Calvinism, Arminianism, and Universalism, and his travel through the first two. Olson gives solid historical surveys of each position. These are in depth enough to really give the reader a strong working knowledge of the traditions, as large and broad as they may be. I would agree with Olson on his assessment of Arminius and Calvin and their 'disciples'. There is some expansion, reworking, and further development by each side that both reformers might not have agreed with. To ultimately conclude they would not agree with these developments goes beyond the evidence, since we will never know on this side of eternity, since their writings are unclear. But Olson does a good job separating the thought of the reformers and those who came after them. An example of this is Calvin's view on the extent of the atonement. Calvin states things that imply both a position on Universal Atonement for Sin and a Particular Atonement for sin only for the Elect. Calvin never clarifies. Some, such as R.T. Kendall (and Olson as well) show the discontinuity between the reformer and his followers (Beza, Perkins, etc.). Others, such as Paul Helm, argue that the developments of later followers of Calvin are true expressions of what the reformer held to. I don't think we can be dogmatic about it; what we do know is that Calvin wasn't clear. This book has some major strong points. Its organization is wonderful. I also love that from the outset Olson prepares his readers with the difficulty of the read. Part I - Part III progressively becomes more difficult because of greater depth of exegesis, greek/hebrew word studies, etc. Clearly this is an abridged version of his book, but I give him high marks for keeping much of the original content, still giving solid exegesis without overly technical approaches. Other points of strength: I love how Olson shows his conviction on the eternal security of the believer. I believe his view to be clear and biblical because he correctly understands both the Promise and the One who is Promising. He uses John 5:24 (one of my life verses) to explain how this single text convinced him (a former Arminian) of his security in Chr

You can't have enough of these books

We need a thousand more books just like this, laying out these truths. If your familiar with the calvinist line, you know what a convoluted spider web it is. Where "God so loved the world" does not mean the whole world, and where "God wills that all be saved", means that God wills that only a *few selected all* be saved. In this convoluted world, when a marriage proposal to be the bride of Christ is refused by a lost soul, it's just a sign that God made that proposal simply as a technicality, and with no true sincerity. Else He would have made that proposal too irresistible to refuse. Remember, the only one who gets around well on a spider web... is the spider! Having said that, this book will gladly fit in my library, but now that I have it, I realize that what I'm really looking for is a table of scriptures used by the calvin line, and revealing how they are twisted. A kind of a reference book, where the exegetical details are brought out on an as-needed basis. Unfortunately then, I found myself in this writing, wading through pages of flourish, hoping to get to the point. You may also want to check out Dr. Laurence M. Vance's work. He lays out with pin-point accuracy all of today's manipulative tactics used in this spider web which puts God in an uncanny likeness to an Olympian deity. Why do men showcase men? Perhaps because secretly, they want to be seen of men and sit in the chief seats themselves.

The Holy Spirit is the Answer

One cannot understand salvation theology without contemplating the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. From Radical Calvinists to Wesleyans to Lutherans to Open Theism Arminians, no one seems to consider what it means for the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, judgement and righteousness. Olson understand the missing scholarship and gets the entire Christian community a real starting point for further thought.

Correcting Deductive Scholasticism

This is Dr. Olson's 2005 abridged and revised edition of his groundbreaking Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism: An Inductive, Mediate Theology of Salvation (2002). This version is suitable for Pastors, Elders, and laypeople alike who don't necessarily need all the exegetical details of the full version. Although we have been seeing more and more good books coming out on this important subject over recent years, I appreciate Dr. Olson's willingness to do a fresh exegesis on the issues at hand using an INDUCTIVE method. This is part of what puts this book head and shoulders above the rest. He is not afraid to dig deeper into resources that have been ignored by others, or to recognize that some Bible translations are better than others in some areas. Over the course of the book, he also enlightens the reader on how deductive/scholastic theologies have hindered the growth of the Church since the Reformation. Furthermore, Dr. Olson goes on to point out how the MEDIATE position he is advocating is decidedly different from those who say one must be either an Arminian or Calvinist. I hope that this work will help put an end to that kind of deductive reasoning. He goes on to show how even church historians like Philip Schaff have recognized a Semi-Augustinian position going back many centuries [e.g. Volume 3, Chap. 9, 160]. He also rightly points out how Calvin's disciple, Beza, was one of main actors in moving "Calvinism" away from what Calvin taught. French Calvinism remained truer to Calvin over and against what the Dutch and English Calvinists developed after his death. In any case, Dr. Olson shows how biblical Evangelical Protestantism has moved beyond Calvin, who could not shake himself free from all the errors of the Roman Catholic Saint Augustine. Some might ask why Dr. Olson goes into the history of missions and evangelism in relation to this topic, and therein lies another of this book's strengths! As an actual missionary who served in Pakistan, he has seen firsthand the deadening effects of deductive theologies on evangelism, and the growth of churches. Doctrine does indeed have serious application to evangelism. Beyond just rehashing many of the same old issues, as other books have done, Olson proves this has, and continues to be, a historical result of teaching Calvinism. Too many of today's Theology and Missions majors are still indoctrinated by materials written from a Reformed slant that gloss over the whole truth. Dr. Olson gives the reader just a taste of what the real story is. As several of the book's endorsers have noted, in spite of its incredible distribution "The reason no one has attempted to refute it is that they cannot." I highly recommend both books not just to Biblicists, but also to everyone who sincerely desires to be a serious student of the Gospel!

Excellent

I have often been troubled by claims by friends that Salvation is limited to the "Elect" -- in that only those who have been "chosen" and "irresistibly drawn" can be saved, essentially saying all others have no hope of salvation. I have found Dr Olson's work gives a refreshingly clear approach to the vexing questions regarding God's sovereignty in salvation, and in detail shows that "whosoever will may come," provided they come through faith in the revealed Gospel. Salvation isn't limited, it is for all who believe. I commend this book to all who may be similarly troubled. It looks at many "key" verses and by using basic Bible study disciplines disproves the errors of 'predeterminism.' The book also addresses errors of universalism and "Arminianism" with clear answers for those vexed in these areas.