The Dark Side of Calvinism: The Calvinist Caste System

by George Bryson

Book Overview

The Dark Side of Calvinism. A biblically based examination, and refutation of the Reformed Doctrine of Redemption and Reprobation. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931667888
• ISBN13: 9781931667883
• Release Date: April 2015
• Publisher: Calvary Chapel
• Length: 398 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The Dark Side of Calvinism

There are four or five major Christian cults (those which use the name of Christ and somewhat rely on the Bible as the basis for their beliefs), but Bryson introduces Calvinism as an additional system of theology to beware of. Unfortunately, Calvinism has been developed, systematized, and reduplicated in most Christian commentaries, theology books, and even institutes of higher eductation. It is not recognized by most as a man-made system of thought that significantly departs from the teachings of the Bible. Whereas the Bible teaches that 1) man can and does respond to the truth of the gospel, that 2) the believer (on the basis of his position in Christ) is selected for service and ultimate glorification (in accord with the foreknowledge of God), that 3) the Lord Jesus died for and redeemed the whole world of men without exception, that 4) man is indeed able to refuse the gospel message and is not irresistibly forced to believe it by the Holy Spirit, and that 5) the believer can utterly fail in his Christian life (and therefore lose blessings in this life and rewards in the life to come, but can't lose or forfeit the non-revocable eternal life promised by God), it is abundantly clear that Calvinism, as a system, is an unfortunate aberation of true biblical doctrine. Bryson, in this work, makes the faults of the Calvinistic system abundantly clear. Bryson doesn't address the flaws of Arminianism directly, but doesn't offer an apologetic for that system either. In essence, he does a brilliant job of considering the teachings of reformed theology in the area of salvation. For my consideration of the five points of TULIP, see: [...]

EXCELLENT BOOK!

EXCELLENT BOOK! Once I picked it up I could not put it down. Point after well thought out points were made and the researched content was eye opening! If you are in need of a balanced book on Calvinism, then this is the one for you my friend!

[4.5 stars] "You can have John 3:16 or you can have John Calvin."

_ Prelude: Physicists concern themselves with systems that are either deterministic or that seem to be insolubly `open'. In a sense, `open' or `chaotic' systems are themselves still deterministic, in that they are open _by law_. So the `events' within such systems seem both inescapably `open' AND bound by `conditions'. In other words, things are either predetermined or they are not, if they are not, this fact too is predetermined, yet it remains that some such things are [by law] open [in a sense, `free']. Bewildered? It's like a kitten chasing its tail, and it's a broad philosophical puzzle that reaches beyond the study of physics. In the theological puzzle, which concerns itself more narrowly with consciousness, willfulness/intellection, etc., determinism is called `predestination' and openness is called `free will'. (I'll revisit the relevance of this in a moment) `Calvinism' is a theological formalism that has been built around selected views of John Calvin. Among its many difficult doctrines, Calvinism--where it is consistently applied, that is--demands that God is the author and purveyor of evil (as well as good), because no being apart from God can have the power to `do'/ produce anything of real significance. Human beings are puppets, programmed either for eternal life OR for eternal damnation, in both cases they have been inescapably so programmed for God's PLEASURE. When pressed past their pretty pictures of divine `election', even Calvinists must admit that this is a difficult version of God! It is also a difficult version of "goodness", human consciousness, justice, sin, and divine grace, not to mention `choice'! The differentiation of `good' and `evil', punishment and `election', becomes a hopelessly fuzzy mess if all are nothing but "God's pleasure"! Calvinists consider this extremely messy picture to be necessary to their understanding of divine sovereignty (Bryson shoots this down, as will I). They defend their version of God (and man) by two lines of appeal: (1) "Logic", i.e., what they believe is the internal consistency of their formal theological system, and (2) "Scripture", i.e., the identification and ideology-driven interpretation of selected verses that they believe all of scripture must be interpretively conformed to. The order in which I have listed these two lines of argument isn't necessarily important, as the consistent Calvinist will appeal to both. If chased from one line of argument, the Calvinist will seek cover in the other. But is their elaborate and rigid formalism with its vile picture of God, either logically or scripturally sustainable? Bryson rightly argues `no'. _ Bryson's book, The Dark Side of Calvinism: The author first treats the Calvinist insistence that its five self-referenced "pillars", taken as an indivisible theological package, IS the Christian gospel, easily demonstrating that this cannot be. Next, citing at length the words of well-known Calvinists, he defines the five central doctrines (fam

Excellent, Logical Rebuttal to Calvanism

This book puts into words the way I've always felt about the soverenity of God and the accountability of Man. I appreciated the way the author refutes Calvanism using logic. I especially liked the section where he shows how Calvanists skew the argument by only presenting two alternatives. (Have you stopped beating your wife, yes or no). So similar to the hyper preterists. Thanks for a great, meaty yet readable/understandable book!

An Excellent, In-Depth Examination of the Problems with Calvinism

George Bryson knows the teachings of Calvinism better than any Calvinist I've ever met. This book is an excellent, well-researched, thoroughly footnoted, in-depth, Biblical examination of where Calvinism has departed from the Scriptures. If you have been struggling with Calvinism, or have questions about Calvinism, you'll find this book very helpful. If you are looking for a shorter book, I'd recommend George's previous book, "The Five Points of Calvinism: Weighed and Found Wanting."