Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace

by Bruce A. Ware and Thomas R. Schreiner

Book Overview

The relationship between divine sovereignty and the human will is a topic of perennial theological dispute and one that is gaining increased attention among contemporary evangelicals.In Still Sovereign, thirteen scholars write to defend the classical view of God's sovereignty. According to the editors, "Ours is a culture in which the tendency is to exalt what is human and diminish what is divine. Even in evangelical circles, we find increasingly attractive...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801022320
• ISBN13: 9780801022326
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Length: 356 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A God Honoring Treatise on Sovereignty

Still Sovereign has a subtitle "Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace" which pretty well explains the purpose of the book. This work was originally published in a two volume edition in 1995 titled The Grace of God, the Bondage of the Will: Volume 1, Biblical and Practical Perspectives on Calvinism and The Grace of God, the Bondage of the Will: Volume 2, Historical and Theological Perspectives on Calvinism. This one volume, 2000 edition is a series of fourteen chapters taken from the original 1995 two volume edition and was written by thirteen authors (Thomas R. Schreiner is the author of two of the essays). In the Preface, the editors apologize for having to omit certain chapters because of space limitations in the one volume edition but assure the reader "that these essays continue to contribute much needed argumentation for a view of God that displays his majesty, glory, and sovereignty most fully and most faithfully." The authors seek to demonstrate from Scripture the solid Biblical basis for Calvinism and the Reformed teachings on sovereignty, election, foreknowledge, and perseverance. They examine the Calvinist position and compare it to the Arminian position and show how the Calvinist position is better supported by Scripture. The essays are divided into three classifications: Biblical Analyses, Theological Issues, and Pastoral Reflections. The section on Biblical Analyses includes seven of the fourteen essays and focuses on what the Bible reveals on the questions of God's sovereignty, election, the will of God, foreknowledge, and perseverance of the saints. Biblical Analyses seeks to show support from both the Old and New Testaments for the doctrines of Calvinism. It covers topics such as God's sovereignty in the Old Testament, divine election in the Gospel of John as well as the Pauline epistles, perseverance, foreknowledge, and the problem areas in Romans 9-11 and Hebrews 6: 4-6. Theological Issues has four chapters and covers effectual calling and grace, prevenient grace, assurance, and God's love as universal and particular. The book concludes with the Pastoral Reflections section which has three chapters and seeks to address the impact of Calvinism on ones ministering to a congregation. It is divided into three parts which include the impact of sovereignty in everyday life, the place of prayer and evangelism, and the preaching ministry in a Calvinist environment. The authors of this section seek to show that Calvinism should promote a greater enthusiasm in all of these areas, not less. Although the book does not have a bibliography, it has a large number of quotations, footnotes and Bible references. The emphasis is on the Bible's position on the subject being examined. The book has three indexes at the end, one each on persons, subjects and Scriptures. This book promotes the concept that God is completely sovereign in all things and works all things after the counsel of His own will. It further repre

Presents the Calvinist viewpoint well

Although not a Calvinist (5 point, 4 point or otherwise), I felt duty bound to read this book as it presents most of the leading Calvinist theologians of today. It is almost a "who's who" of reformed Calvinist thought - only R C Sproul is notable by his absence. And, mark, this is 5-point Calvinism - yes, including the "L" of limited atonement! Those looking for the more moderate Calvinism of, say, R.T. Kendall will not find it here. Space does not allow for the detailed discussion each article deserves, so this review focuses on a few articles (particularly those other reviews have overlooked) and make some general observations on the book's contribution to the perennial predestination verses free will debate. The collection kicks-off with Ray Ortlund's case studies on God's sovereignty in the Old Testament. In doing so it nearly shoots itself in the foot, at least for this reviewer! Whilst Ortlund's rather pugnacious article makes some reasonable exegetical points concerning Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1, his section on Jonah perpetuates the misunderstanding surrounding this great prophet. To call the first true missionary to the Gentiles (who, incidently, had a 100% success rate) a "nasty, sulky prophet...clearly he is the bad example we are not to follow" is a staggering insult. If apologising is in order in Heaven, Orlund will be joining what will probably be a very long queue to the prophet Jonah! Robert Yarborough contributes a more conciliatory essay on Sovereignty in John (a response to Grant Osborne's thoughtful essay in Grace of God). Donald Westblade handles the Calvinist view of election in an equally thoughtful manner, but in not avoiding the stumbling stone of double predestination, for this reviewer he inadequately deals with the implications of divine foreknowledge. Wayne Grudem's essay on Hebrews 6, as other reviewers have noted, is a highlight of the collection. Whilst Hebrews 6 is not the only problem passage for Perseverance to be found in the Bible (Ezekiel 18:24-26, 2 Peter 2: 20-22 and even John 15: 5-6 spring to mind), it is perhaps the most sustained teaching in the New Testament contradicting "Once Saved Always Saved". Grudem argues well for the passage to be read in a Calvinist light. Though he crowns his argument with the old cliché of "the backslider was never saved", the article ingratiates itself by neither quoting the Westminster Confession, nor trashing opposing views and by keeping its Biblical focus on the passage in hand, rather than wandering off into the warm, sunlit uplands of Romans 9-11, Ephesians 1-2 and certain parts of the Gospel of John. Would that more Calvinists took this approach! Four articles deserve special consideration as between them they cover what is, in effect, the keystone of 5-point Calvinist doctrine. If Bruce Ware can prove Effectual Calling and Grace (those who are elect in Christ will be saved come what may), Thomas Schreiner can disprove Prevenient Grace (God's grace is extended to

Thoughtful, challenging explanation of Reformed theology

This book is a condensation of "The Grace of God, The Bondage of the Will," which was a 2 volume work written to defend Calvinism, and as a response to 2 books by Clark Pinnock: "The Grace of God" and "The Grace of God, the Will of Man." A few chapters have been removed to make the original into one book, but most of the terrific articles remain.To many people today, Calvinism is an anachronism. After the 11th September outrage, How can people take a teaching seriously which proclaims that God is good, and yet completely in control of the world? Could a good God really be all-powerful, and yet allow (or even ordain) atrocities like that?The contributors show that a proper understanding of the Bible involves believing that God is indeed sovereign, yet also loving, just and good.John Piper's helpful chapter asks the question "Are there 2 wills in God?" And then seeks to show that God does indeed "fulfil all his will" and yet "is not willing that any should perish."S.M. Baugh discusses the meaning of "foreknowledge" in the Bible, and argues persuasively that God's foreknowledge must mean a lot more than knowing what is going to happen in the future.Jerry Bridges shows that a belief in the sovereignty of God has practical implications for everyday living, while Samuel Storms explains how it is worth praying to a God who has already decreed "the end from the beginning." In fact, he argues that there is not much point in praying to a God who is not in complete control of his world.This book has been one of the most helpful explanations of Calvinism which I have read. Highly recommended.

Best Available

If you are looking for single, sustained, scholarly, and Biblical defense of predestination, then this book is a must-read. Several scholars join forces in this work to show that Arminianism is Biblically indefensible. Thomas Schreiner argues in his essay that Romans 9 teaches "individual election unto salvation," and his presentation is, in my mind at least, irrefutable. John Piper shows that the Calvinistic God is loving, and sincerely desires the salvation of all men, but still ordains only some to heaven. His essay on the "two wills of God" is one of the most enlightening articles I have read. Wayne Grudem spends a massive fifty pages exegeting passages in Hebrews that Arminians have claimed show that genuine Christians can lose salvation. His conclusion is that the Reformed doctrine of the "perseverance of the saints" stands firm, despite the warning passages of the book of Hebrews. S. M. Baugh's essay on the Biblical meaning of the term "foreknowledge" is more than a rehashing of the traditional Calvinistic prooftexts, and offers some fresh insights into the meaning of this word. Overall, this book was well-written, scholarly, and Biblical. I highly recommend it. While not an easy-read, it is one of the best defenses of Calvinism I have encountered, and it puts most Arminian parallels to shame. For links to essays and articles written by John Piper and other Calvinists on predestination, I recommend the site,...This website is a massive resource of arguments for and against Calvinism, and is the best I have seen on this issue.

What the scholars are saying

"This is a valuable series of essays concerning contemporary perspectives on election, foreknowledge, and grace. These are written by some of the most respected scholars representing mainline Calvinism. They should be very effective in countering a very damaging tendency among some authors to minimize God's sovereignty and deny his omniscience. I wholeheartedly support these essayists in their presentation." --Roger Nicole, Visiting Professor of Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary"An important restatement of the orthodox understanding of God's sovereignty in the face of serious challenges to that doctrine in the contemporary church."--Douglas Moo, Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School"American evangelicals often resort to polemics, power-plays, and politics to deal with dissenting opinions in their midst rather than using polite but convincing refutation from scholars. This volume is a pleasant exception to this trend, bringing back into print a number of outstanding essays reflecting a biblical and Calvinist approach to the sovereignty, omnipotence, and omniscience of God. The ball is now clearly in the court of the "openness of God" movement to show that their perspectives are better grounded in Scripture."--Craig L. Blomberg, Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary"These essays return the discussion of divine sovereignty to its proper home where it matters most - the reverent reflection on God's saving grace and effectual love, in which dogmatics issues in doxology - and root the practice, prayer, and preaching of God's Lordship over all of life squarely in the biblical witness." --Kevin Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, The Divinity School, Trinity International University"This book makes a compelling case that Calvinist soteriology is biblical soteriology, and in so doing secures for us a view of God that is awesome and entirely adequate for the dilemmas and pains of our postmodern world." --David F. Wells, Academic Dean, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary