John P
Puritan Board Freshman
Sooo... I am currently taking theology classes for a Theology Minor at my university, and one of the classes we had to take was Systematic Theology. It was broken into two classes (1 and 2) and had a lot of reading. Now, going to a Pentecostal college, I knew that I was bound to run into theological beliefs that differed from my own (mainly Arminianism). However, the professor of my theology class once labeled himself as a Reformed Semi-Augustinian, and it got me thinking, since I truly wonder whether Augustine, the Calvinist before John Calvin, would have been content to hear that my professor only agreed with half of his theology.
Now, I know I am being a bit long winded, but it is to show my reasoning before I give my professor's viewpoints from how I understand them:
1. God gave up his sovereignty over the earth to mankind. God also cannot override the free will. Further, there is nowhere in the Bible that says God is sovereign. (I know, this sounds really wacky)
2. Man cannot choose God, but God does not force a man to accept salvation. Instead, God enlightens the intellect and softens the heart enough for a person to make an autonomous choice whether to accept salvation or not. (this could work if one disregards Romans 9 and 11)
3. Once we accept salvation, all the reformed concepts like eternal security, death to sin, being a new creation, God working in the heart of man, God preparing works for man to walk into all apply, with one exception, a man may choose to walk away at any time. (How can a man choose to leave if they have been regenerated and have the seal of the Holy Spirit? Further, doesn't Jesus say that he shall lose none which the Father hath given Him?)
4. The 5 Solae are true, and we must all have the Berean Jew mentality.
So, as I heard his viewpoint, I really wondered how in the world he could call himself reformed, since some of the most basic tenets of reformed theology are just plainly missing. So, I'm asking the good folks at Puritan Board, is it an oxymoron for this Professor to label himself as Reformed Semi-Augustinian?
Now, I know I am being a bit long winded, but it is to show my reasoning before I give my professor's viewpoints from how I understand them:
1. God gave up his sovereignty over the earth to mankind. God also cannot override the free will. Further, there is nowhere in the Bible that says God is sovereign. (I know, this sounds really wacky)
2. Man cannot choose God, but God does not force a man to accept salvation. Instead, God enlightens the intellect and softens the heart enough for a person to make an autonomous choice whether to accept salvation or not. (this could work if one disregards Romans 9 and 11)
3. Once we accept salvation, all the reformed concepts like eternal security, death to sin, being a new creation, God working in the heart of man, God preparing works for man to walk into all apply, with one exception, a man may choose to walk away at any time. (How can a man choose to leave if they have been regenerated and have the seal of the Holy Spirit? Further, doesn't Jesus say that he shall lose none which the Father hath given Him?)
4. The 5 Solae are true, and we must all have the Berean Jew mentality.
So, as I heard his viewpoint, I really wondered how in the world he could call himself reformed, since some of the most basic tenets of reformed theology are just plainly missing. So, I'm asking the good folks at Puritan Board, is it an oxymoron for this Professor to label himself as Reformed Semi-Augustinian?