# Does Arminianism lead to liberalism historically?



## arapahoepark (Oct 10, 2013)

Does Arminianism lead to liberalism, historically? What about today?


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## jambo (Oct 10, 2013)

If the heart is not right then anything can lead to liberalism.


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## ZackF (Oct 10, 2013)

arap said:


> Does Arminianism lead to liberalism, historically? What about today?



The progression and evolution of beliefs over time is a tricky and even sloppy course of events. The tracing of ideas is seldom linear. The original teachings of Arminius are not liberal but merely non-reformed. There a plenty of churches that were originally Reformed or Arminian but are now liberal. I can't find it in writing but I remember an interview of Iain Murray where he described the tragedy of the many first Puritan pulpits that went Unitarian within a generation.


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## DMcFadden (Oct 10, 2013)

I see a number of other historical factors "leading to liberalism."

From an historical perspective, the Enlightenment with its omniscient and autonomous human reason and German pietism have a better claim to "leading to liberalism" (in my opinion) than Arminianism.

Post Reformational scholasticism was followed by a period of sterile orthodoxy that ultimately went in the direction of rationalism and pietism. For differing reasons these two influences can be seen as formative in the thinking of the proto-typical father of theological liberalism: Schleiermacher.


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## Scott1 (Oct 11, 2013)

Arminianism, starts in the error of a man-centered view, rather than an God-centered one, and is therefore more prone to error.


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## Jack K (Oct 11, 2013)

Historically, Calvinist denominations have fallen to liberalism just as Arminian ones have, so apparently not.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Oct 11, 2013)

Jack K said:


> Historically, Calvinist denominations have fallen to liberalism just as Arminian ones have, so apparently not.


Indeed. Mist in the pulpit...fog in the pews.


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## Rich Koster (Oct 11, 2013)

arap said:


> Does Arminianism lead to liberalism, historically? What about today?



I thought it led to altar calls.......see what I get for thinking.


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