# Recommend some non-Calvinists?



## MichaelGao

A friend wants me to recommend some non-reformed (arminian etc..) contemporary teachers, preachers so to get a broad view of the landscape.

I personally don't see anything wrong with that. It's not like we are afraid of what they have to say.

But I don't happen to know any who is non-reformed AND not risky or shallow.

Anyone know any good, faithful to bible preachers that do not hold reformed views?
Please note: Contemporary...still alive and in ministry...basically someone you can still listen/watch..

How's Chuck Missler? I've heard his podcast a couple times awhile ago. Didn't pick up anything negative.

Others??


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## MLCOPE2

I don't know how faithful to the bible one can be and not be reformed. I would say that Michael Brown does an excellent job on defending and defining the trinity and Norman Geisler has done myriads of work defending the inerrancy of scripture. Those are the only two that I can think of off of the top of my head that I would give any merit to outside of the "reformed" camp.


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## Tim

What does your friend hope to learn? Is he solidly reformed in his theology already?


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## buggy

Ravi Zacharias is another good choice.


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## moral necessity

I read this to get a good perspective of the Arminian camp. I thought it was well done, and helped to clear away much of improper allegations alleged to them. Amazon.com: Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (9780830828418): Roger E. Olson: Books: Reviews, Prices & more

You can also read Arminius' works for free here: The Works of James Arminius, by Jacobus Arminius et al. | The Online Books Page 

or purchase them here: Amazon.com: The Works of James Arminius: The London Edition (3 Volumes) (9780801002069): James Arminius, James Nichols, William Nichols, Carl Bangs: Books: Reviews, Prices & more

I have the 3 volume set, and it is good reading as to the history of his defense of his position. It's interesting...he seems like a very gracious man to fellowship with, yet one who just couldn't see past some verses that seemed to speak against the Calvinistic mindset. His theology was the only way he could put it together, and be faithful to the scriptures within his conscience. Sin truly does impair our understanding.


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## DMcFadden

Which area?

Homiletics - Billy Graham
NT? Ben Witherington I.H. Marshall, and Scott McKnight
OT? Bill T. Arnold, John Oswalt, and Lawson Stone
Apologetics - Norm Geisler, William Lane Craig (Molinist)
History - David Pawson
Theology - Roger Olson, Jack Cottrell (restorationist inerrantist), Thomas Oden, Ergun Caner, Paige Patterson, Michael Brown

Also, anything written by Satan


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## Notthemama1984

I personally have no respect for Geisler. How can I take his writings on ethics and apologetics seriously when he supported Dr. Caner with all of his lies?


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## DMcFadden

MODERATION NOTE: Please be careful not to let the thread devolve into Ninth Commandment issues regarding personalities and persons still living. 

I started writing out some of my own vignettes about Dr. Geisler's "fairness" to his opponents and realized that it was inappropriate, even though accurate, and deleted my words before posting. Oops!


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## Joseph Scibbe

How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Gordon Fee is one of the Best books on....well reading the Bible out there....reformed or not. There are plenty of great non-calvinist authors out there. You need to find authors who are experts in certain fields. It's about knowing the Bible not knowing a theology.


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## Philip

Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff in apologetics/philosophy (both have old CRC backgrounds, but have gone molinist).


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## py3ak

moral necessity said:


> I have the 3 volume set, and it is good reading as to the history of his defense of his position. It's interesting...he seems like a very gracious man to fellowship with, yet one who just couldn't see past some verses that seemed to speak against the Calvinistic mindset. His theology was the only way he could put it together, and be faithful to the scriptures within his conscience. Sin truly does impair our understanding.



From his correspondence with Junius I got the impression that Arminius was _presenting himself_ as a sincere questioner, but in fact already had his mind made up. Maybe I'm just too suspicious of nice people, but he seemed slippery to me.



Unashamed 116 said:


> How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Gordon Fee is one of the Best books on....well reading the Bible out there....reformed or not.



I thought this was a good book to highlight some of the shortcomings of a truncated hermeneutical method.

Non-reformed writers who have proved helpful or stimulating to me are C.S. Lewis and G. Campbell Morgan.


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## seajayrice

This one is teed-up pretty high. How does one read the scripture and not know theology? Echo the other post, read Arminius. Herbert Lockyer is also worth a look.
Good Arminian read=oxymoron


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## Philip

Now that I'm thinking more clearly . . . 

G.K. Chesterton, Lesslie Newbigin, C.S. Lewis, Thomas A Kempis, Richard Swinburne.


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## lynnie

About Pastor Joe &lsaquo; Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia

Joe Focht is the Calvary Chapel pastor in Philly, big church, radio show. I've heard several diehard Calvinists admit that they enjoy his preaching. (I've heard him half a dozen times and it was always good, right up until the altar call to escape the pre trib rapture). I have heard he has some Calvinist sympathies in his soteriology, so maybe that explains the quality of his preaching, ha.

I heard Missler once and it was terrible. Talked so fast, very disjointed, said strong opinions with no bible verses attached, so dispensational. Maybe its the topic he picks?

Dave Wilkerson is my favorite non reformed teacher, but there again, he is always throwing in quotes from guys like Spurgeon and Owen and Edwards, so you can't count on these Arminians to be true to their roots  His sermons are online somewhere but I've only ever read them in his newsletters.


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## yeutter

Church History: John Warwick Montgomery, a Lutheran
Apologetics & Philosophy: Timothy McGrew, an Anglican. Richard Swinburne, who I now believe has departed from the Church of England and is Eastern Orthodox. Edward Feser, a Roman Catholic is an insightful Thomist critic of Swinburne, Plantinga, & Wolterstorff


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## yeutter

Church History: Peter Toon, an Anglican


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## Philip

Is Philip Schaff considered reformed?


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## Dearly Bought

If a minister does not hold to the teaching of Scripture as confessed in the Reformed confessions, then we, as Reformed Christians, must necessarily conclude that he is by definition unfaithful to Scripture and thus "risky" to listen to. 

My experience leads me to believe that non-Reformed theologians may contribute to our understanding of theology in three major ways:

They may at times actually proclaim proper Scriptural teaching on a particular point of doctrine. In this case, we value their work because it is Reformed according to God's Word on this particular point! In my estimation, this is where we are least likely to benefit from the work of non-Reformed authors. Like leaven in bread, false teaching is hard to isolate to one area of doctrine.
They may offer a helpful critique of false doctrine. Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon are two theologians of mainline liberalism who excel in critiquing contemporary Western Christianity. Yet, although such writers are good at spotting the problem, that does not mean that they present the correct solutions.
They may enlarge our historical knowledge. One is most likely to benefit from non-Reformed sources in this manner. Diarmaid Macculloch is an excellent example of such an author, being a man who openly admits his practice of homosexuality. Despite Macculloch's beliefs and practices, his work on Thomas Cranmer is _the_ definitive biography for all time. Even here, however, we cannot be blind to the reality that unbiblical presuppositions still cloud even the minds of historians. His chapters on "Love and Sex" in his book _The Reformation_ clearly display this truth. There is no neutral ground.

Honestly, I have progressively eliminated non-Reformed authors and theologians from my theological library and my audio collection due to the caveats I express above. Except perhaps in the realm of history, one is generally able to find a much more Biblical exposition of doctrine or critique of heresy from a Reformed man than one could ever locate in the plethora of non-Reformed theologians out there. I don't know how much reading/listening time others are blessed with, but I simply do not have the time to sift the wheat from the chaff when learning the teaching of Scripture! I need well-tested, sure guides. 

All of this is not to say that I refuse to acquaint myself with the works of contemporary non-Reformed theologians. I believe that it is crucial for Christians to know what heresies and false teaching plague our churches and society and how to combat them. This is battle reading, to be performed once properly prepared by reading that equips you for battle.


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## buggy

Harry Ironside is another good non-Reformed example.


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## MICWARFIELD

Definitely NOT Missler. Pretty much for all the reasons Lynnie cited above.


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## seajayrice

P. F. Pugh said:


> Is Philip Schaff considered reformed?


 
Regarding Schaffs Church History, I recall reading an Arminian author qualifying the work as that of a Calvinist. You can download Schaffs history of the church at no charge on esword.


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## KMK

JC Ryle!


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## seajayrice

Ryle Arminian? Thought he was reformed?


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## JasonT

I think he may be a 4.5 pointer. Certainly someone I've found very helpful.


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## Philip

If we're going to count 4.5-pointers, James Ussher


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## Rich Koster

MichaelGao said:


> How's Chuck Missler?



 I heard him go into an anti-Calvinist monologue during some sermons broadcast on our local Calvary Chapel station. I no longer listen to "Christian" radio on the local FM dial because I don't find it edifying. Check out the links listed on this site and take some good stuff along with you.


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## lgfreire

Alvin Plantinga (for philosophy of religion)
David Pawlinson (for bible exposition)
John Wesley (commentary)
Charles Wesley (hymn poetry)
C S Lewis

And why not read stuff by Arminus himself?


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## Pergamum

I have been blessed by Norm Giesler's apologetics books ("When Critics Ask" or "When Skeptics ask" I think are the titles).


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## Peairtach

C.S. Lewis


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