Yearly Archives: 2011

Calvinism and the Baptists

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A person can be Baptist and fully Reformed. Historically speaking, though this would indeed be news to many Baptists today, as most would be of an Arminian persuasion.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world. In searching therough some of the archives of his articles at the blog site www.albertmohler.com I came across this response article to Dr. William R. Estep (below). There is no need to dig up the controversy, especially as it is more than two years old, but I think Dr. Mohler’s response is both factual and insightful. Written on Thursday, July 16, 2009, here is Dr. Mohler’s article, entitled,

“The Reformation of Doctrine and the Renewal of the Church: A Response to Dr. William R. Estep”

One of the most promising signs of renewal in Southern Baptist life is the emergence of genuine theological discussion and historical interest. After decades marked by the absence of significant interest in many doctrines, Southern Baptists are awakening to historic doctrinal debates in a new key.

As if awakened from doctrinal amnesia, the denomination faces the promise of both renewal and reformation. In this process, we may recover our theological heritage even as we address our modern context of ministry.

Dr. William R. Estep, one of Southern Baptists’ most distinguished historians, has recently directed attention to a resurgent Calvinism in Southern Baptist life. The “Calvinizing” of the Southern Baptist Convention, he fears, is a dangerous development.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to Dr. Estep, and to present a very different understanding of what is at stake. Though vitriolic and harsh in tone, his article deserves a respectful and thoughtful response.

First, let me state at the onset that if Calvinism is accurately represented by Dr. Estep’s treatment, I will have nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, few of Calvin’s friends or enemies will recognize Calvinism as presented in Dr. Estep’s article.

Calvin and Calvinism

Calvinism clearly draws its name from John Calvin, the sixteenth century Reformer whose towering intellect and biblical preaching gave birth to the “Reformed” tradition as one of the central streams of the Reformation. Calvin’s mission was to establish the Church on the basis of Scripture, with its doctrine and practice drawn from Scripture itself.

His Institutes of the Christian Religion, first published in 1536, was his effort to set forth the doctrines revealed in the Bible. Few works have come close to the Institutes in terms of influence in the Church. Elsewhere, Dr. Estep has described the Institutes as “one of Protestantism’s greatest attempts at erecting a systematic theology.” Calvinism is simply the Reformation tradition which is associated most closely with Calvin.

Dr. Estep presents a very severe portrait of Calvin the Reformer, and those looking for severity in Calvin need not look far. He was a sixteenth century man who bore many of the prejudices and political dispositions common to his day. He would not understand the notion of religious liberty, and he was ready to use the arm of the law to enforce correct doctrine.

No Calvinist I know would advocate Calvin’s position on these issues, any more than modern Lutherans would endorse Martin Luther’s anti-Semitism. Baptists who quickly reject Calvin’s theology because of his shortcomings on other issues must, if honest, reject virtually any influence from previous centuries. This holds true for Dr. Estep’s treasured Anabaptists as well.
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How Mormon is Mitt Romney?

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DID YOU KNOW???? …the Jesus of Mormonism is the begotten offspring of an exalted man and one of his many wives who lives on a planet circling a star named Kolob, and his “gospel” is the message of how you, too, can be exalted to godhood?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the LDS or Mormon Church) denies Christ’s full deity and the “god” they worship is not eternal but merely an exalted man who has achieved godhood by obeying certain laws. Fundamentally, Mormonism is one of the most polytheistic religions in existence. Christianity is entirely mono-theistic, proclaiming that there is only one God, eternally existent in three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Mormonism worships a different god, follows a different christ, and proclaims a different gospel from authentic New Testament Christianity. There should be absolutely no doubt on this issue – Mormonism and Christianity are not in any way compatible.

Hank Hannegraff writes…

“How Mormon am I?” Mitt Romney responded to a journalist from The Atlantic in 2005, during his first run for President of the United States. “You know, the principles and values taught to me by faith are values I aspire to live by and are as American as motherhood and apple pie. My faith believes in family, believes in Jesus Christ… And I’m not perfect, but I’m one aspiring to be a good person as defined by the biblical Judeo-Christian standards…”

It sounds pretty good — but then, it’s supposed to. For decades, Mormon leadership has made a concerted effort to win over Americans by making it appear Mormons hold the same basic tenets as Christians. In fact, they are obscuring the face of Mormonism through the manufacture of a Mormon mirage.

As a result, many Christians today believe there’s no need to share Christ with their Mormon neighbors — and their Mormon neighbors may well consider themselves orthodox Christians. We hear a Mormon state a belief in Jesus and “biblical Judeo-Christian standards,” without realizing their faith is founded in teachings that:

* Jesus Christ was conceived by sexual intercourse between God and the Virgin Mary.
* The Bible is filled with errors and superseded by the Book of Mormon and the words of all Mormon prophets.
* God was once human like us, dwelling on earth, and “became God” through faith and good works — just as we can do ourselves.
* Jesus’ death and resurrection secured only the opportunity for us to attain salvation through our own good works — salvation is not by faith in Christ.
* …and much, much more that contradicts the explicit teaching of God’s Word.

Recently, Mitt Romney affirmed Joseph Smith’s millennial beliefs that Jesus will reign in Independence, Missouri:

“Throughout the Bible Christ appears in Jerusalem, splits the Mount of Olives to stop the war that’s coming in to kill all the Jews. Our church believes that.We also believe that over the thousand years that follows, the Millennium, He will reign from two places, that the law will come forth from one place, in Missouri, and the other will be in Jerusalem.”

Romney’s explicit affirmation of Mormon eschatology is particularly disturbing in light of another prophecy by Joseph Smith that one day the U.S. Constitution will be hanging by a thread, only to be saved by Elders of the LDS Church.

Hank goes on:

If we can’t understand and articulate these differences, we too can be taken in by the Mormon mirage… and be unable to share the truth in love with Mormons as God provides opportunities. But with Romney prominent in the 2012 presidential campaign, the Mormon Church’s vested interest in obscuring these crucial points is at its height.

But please don’t misunderstand my comments about Mitt Romney. I’m not talking about his politics — I’m talking about his belief system. Romney has attempted to make Mormonism sound mainstream when it’s anything but.

Hank goes on to describe a resource he is making available, a flipchart describing the Mormon beliefs in an easy to view format…

As such, I wrote the flipchart not to influence your politics, but your heart, exposing the Mormon mirage and the delusion leading multiplied millions to their doom. With Mormonism’s current aggressive publicity and evangelism, you need to be armed with the facts for yourself and to share… because Truth matters.

If you are interested in the resource Hank refers to, it can be found at http://www.equip.org