Louis Ruggiero (aka LouRugg) has written the dangerously-titled book, “The God of Calvinism: a Rebuttal of Reformed Theology.”

Ironically, the book has as front-matter before the (first) dedication “A Prayer at West Point Chapel.” The prayer reads:

Make us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be contented with a half truth when the whole truth can we won. Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when right and truth are in jeopardy.

Mr. Ruggiero does not make any commentary on the prayer, so it is hard to know whether he appreciates the significance of a prayer to God that God “Make us choose” something. Does Mr. Ruggiero believe that God can make someone choose something? If he does, then he’s a compatabilist: someone who thinks that God’s directing of men’s choices does not take away the character of “choice.” In other words, if the prayer is answerable in the affirmative, it means that a choice can be a choice without being a “free” choice.

The prayer is a very Calvinist prayer in that sense. It recognizes that God can make us choose things, while it remaining true that we choose those things. Once a person realizes that, a lot of false objections to Calvinism fade away.

Does this point render the rest of Louis’ book moot? With God’s assistance, we will explore this shortly, Lord Willing.

-TurretinFan