Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace

Rating:
Summary: Best Available
Review: If you are looking for single, sustained, scholarly, and Biblical defense of predestination, then this book is a must-read. Several scholars join forces in this work to show that Arminianism is Biblically indefensible. Thomas Schreiner argues in his essay that Romans 9 teaches "individual election unto salvation," and his presentation is, in my mind at least, irrefutable. John Piper shows that the Calvinistic God is loving, and sincerely desires the salvation of all men, but still ordains only some to heaven. His essay on the "two wills of God" is one of the most enlightening articles I have read. Wayne Grudem spends a massive fifty pages exegeting passages in Hebrews that Arminians have claimed show that genuine Christians can lose salvation. His conclusion is that the Reformed doctrine of the "perseverance of the saints" stands firm, despite the warning passages of the book of Hebrews. S. M. Baugh's essay on the Biblical meaning of the term "foreknowledge" is more than a rehashing of the traditional Calvinistic prooftexts, and offers some fresh insights into the meaning of this word.

Overall, this book was well-written, scholarly, and Biblical. I highly recommend it. While not an easy-read, it is one of the best defenses of Calvinism I have encountered, and it puts most Arminian parallels to shame. For links to essays and articles written by John Piper and other Calvinists on predestination, I recommend the site,

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This website is a massive resource of arguments for and against Calvinism, and is the best I have seen on this issue.

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful, challenging explanation of Reformed theology
Review: This book is a condensation of "The Grace of God, The Bondage of the Will," which was a 2 volume work written to defend Calvinism, and as a response to 2 books by Clark Pinnock: "The Grace of God" and "The Grace of God, the Will of Man."
A few chapters have been removed to make the original into one book, but most of the terrific articles remain.

To many people today, Calvinism is an anachronism. After the 11th September outrage, How can people take a teaching seriously which proclaims that God is good, and yet completely in control of the world? Could a good God really be all-powerful, and yet allow (or even ordain) atrocities like that?

The contributors show that a proper understanding of the Bible involves believing that God is indeed sovereign, yet also loving, just and good.

John Piper's helpful chapter asks the question "Are there 2 wills in God?" And then seeks to show that God does indeed "fulfil all his will" and yet "is not willing that any should perish."

S.M. Baugh discusses the meaning of "foreknowledge" in the Bible, and argues persuasively that God's foreknowledge must mean a lot more than knowing what is going to happen in the future.

Jerry Bridges shows that a belief in the sovereignty of God has practical implications for everyday living, while Samuel Storms explains how it is worth praying to a God who has already decreed "the end from the beginning." In fact, he argues that there is not much point in praying to a God who is not in complete control of his world.

This book has been one of the most helpful explanations of Calvinism which I have read. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Stimulating Scholarship on Sovereignty
Review: This stimulating and scholarly book was condensed from the two-volume "The Grace of God, the Bondage of the Will" published by Baker in 1995. Fourteen of those original chapters are included here, dealing with three areas of concern: 1. Biblical Analyses, 2. Theological Issues, and 3. Pastoral Reflections. Contributors include such renowned scholars, theologians, and pastors as Thomas Schreiner, D.A. Carson, J. I. Packer, John Piper, and Wayne Grudem.

The book commences with a very satisfying look at the sovereignty of God in the Old Testament, worked out carefully by Raymond Ortland Jr. Tom Schreiner's chapter on Romans 9 is likewise excellent and persuasive. Piper's chapter "Are There Two Wills in God?" is worthy of careful consideration for die-hard Calvinists. He offers a reconciliation between sovereign election and God's desire for all to be saved that is interesting . . . although I am not persuaded that his interpretation of I Tim. 2:4 is correct! Wayne Grudem's careful study of the Hebrews warning passages and the doctrine of perseverance is of special value. I highly commend it. His arguments are convincing and (I think) virtually impossible to refute. Packer's chapter on God's love is typically clear and concise and witty - but maybe a little too short for a book of this caliber. Carson's reflections on assurance offer food for thought by tying the issue together with other pertinent areas of theology. Baugh's look at foreknowledge and Schreiner's look at the Wesleyan doctrine of prevenient grace are also of value. Sam Storms, Jerry Bridges, and Ed Clowney offer helpful thoughts on the more pastoral issues.

The book is of special value in that it interacts well with opposing views and especially takes on Clark Pinnock and company who wrote "The Grace of God, the Will of Man" which is an attempted defense of Arminian theology. I think any theologian (from either side!) would benefit from a careful perusal of these pages.