The end of
Horton’s book seemed to drag on a bit (much like this 9 part review!). In his
final chapter, Horton evaluates contemporary Calvinism, considering a number of
points of danger. He warns his fellow Calvinists to guard against intellectual
elitism (so… one of the weaknesses of Calvinism is that Calvinists are too
smart. This seems a bit like answering a question about your weaknesses with a
response like ‘sometimes I give too much to charity’). A find it a little
funny, though, that over-intellectualism is apparently associated with
Calvinism, especially given its numerous appeals to mystery in the face of
apparent contradiction. But I’m probably being too harsh here and should just
let Horton come across as humble without questioning it.
Other
dangers? Horton says that Calvinists sometimes forget the ‘heart,’ placing the
emphasis, instead, on the head and/or legal perspectives. Calvinists have a tendency
to caricature their theological opponents. They sometimes treat their
forerunners too much as heroes (instead of the totally depraved people that
they were). Horton talks about how reading Romans became almost an unhealthy
obsession earlier in his life. I appreciate Horton’s willingness to point out
potential dangers for Calvinists.
So I’ve
responded to the whole book now. It was worth reading. I think it is important
for Arminians like myself to read about Calvinism from the leading Calvinists
themselves. I wouldn’t have taken the time to review the book in such detail if
it hadn’t been somewhat stimulating.
Now on to
Roger Olson’s “Against Calvinism.”
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