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Response to C. Michael Patton on the Divine Decrees and Hyper-Calvinism
C. Michael Patton has a new post entitled, Calvinism and the Divine Decrees – Correcting a Misunderstanding. Unfortunately, Patton’s post actually promotes a misunderstanding and confuses a few categories. First, the promotion of a misunderstanding. Patton states: “Supralapsarianism literally means “before or above the fall” (supra=”above”; lapse=”fall”). This is the form of Calvinism that is…
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Erasmus' Words – Could Beckwith, Cross, and Liccione Endorse?
Erasmus wrote: What weight the authority of the church may have with others, I know not; but with me it weighs so much, that I could be of the opinion of the Arians and Pelagians, if the church had approved their doctrines. Latin Text: Quantum apud alios valeat auctoritas ecclesiae nescio; certo apud me tantum…
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Erasmus’ Words – Could Beckwith, Cross, and Liccione Endorse?
Erasmus wrote: What weight the authority of the church may have with others, I know not; but with me it weighs so much, that I could be of the opinion of the Arians and Pelagians, if the church had approved their doctrines. Latin Text: Quantum apud alios valeat auctoritas ecclesiae nescio; certo apud me tantum…
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Aquinas – Limit on Papal Power
In a previous post (link) we saw that Aquinas indicated that it was possible for the universal church to define doctrine in some sense. There are, however, limits on that power. The following quotation comes from the Supplement, which is Reginald di Piperno’s work that is based on comments from Thomas Aquinas in his commentary…
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God's Judgment On Babylon
Thanks to a passage I was reading in Cyril of Alexandria’s commentary on Isaiah, I noticed the following connection. Within Isaiah’s pronouncement of judgment on Babylon we find the following: Isaiah 13:16-19 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. Behold, I will…
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God’s Judgment On Babylon
Thanks to a passage I was reading in Cyril of Alexandria’s commentary on Isaiah, I noticed the following connection. Within Isaiah’s pronouncement of judgment on Babylon we find the following: Isaiah 13:16-19 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. Behold, I will…
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Aquinas on the Development of Doctrine
Here’s one or two points where Aquinas differs from modern Reformed believers: As Augustine says (Ep. xliii) and we find it stated in the Decretals (xxiv, qu. 3, can. Dixit Apostolus): “By no means should we accuse of heresy those who, however false and perverse their opinion may be, defend it without obstinate fervor, and…
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Axe, Saw, and Staff Theology
Calvinism is sometimes accused of turning men into robots or puppets. Scoffers refer to Calvinism as “puppet theology” or “robot theology.” One way to respond to this is by trying to explain to the critics that Calvinism teaches that men have wills and make choices. There’s nothing wrong with that approach. However, another approach that…
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Aquinas: Scriptures Define Limit on Acceptable Teachings of Apostolic Successors
Thomas Aquinas believed that (at least in certain circumstances) the universal church could not err. If we define the universal church as the faithful and we refer specifically to those doctrines that are essential to the faith, it follows of logical and even definitional necessity that the universal church cannot err. Thus, even a sola…
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Is Sola Scriptura a Protestant Concoction?
Dr. Greg Bahnsen’s lecture by the above title is now available thanks to the transcription by Pastor David King and the editing of James Anderson (link). Thanks to monergism.com for bringing this to my attention. To God be the Glory!