Reddit Reddit reviews What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics

We found 5 Reddit comments about What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics
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5 Reddit comments about What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics:

u/davidjricardo · 8 pointsr/Reformed

Glad to hear it! Other's have posted good recommendations for further study. I'll add two of my own:

  • RC Sproul's What Is Reformed Theology? is a good low level introduction. It is available both as a video lecture series and as a book. Sproul has lots of other good material on Reformed theology as well.

  • R. Michael Allen's Reformed Theology is a great higher level survey. It's probably about the same level of From Heaven He Came and Sought Her, so you should be able to handle it.

    A word of caution. Many of us who have had similar "conversion-to-Calvinism" experiences fall into what is called "Cage-Stage Calvinism" We swing from dogmatic attacks on Calvinism to dogmatic attacks on Arminianism. Sproul has described it this way:

    >Cage-stage Calvinists are identifiable by their insistence on turning every discussion into an argument for limited atonement or for making it their personal mission to ensure everyone they know hears—often quite loudly—the truths of divine election. Now, having a zeal for the truth is always commendable. But a zeal for the truth that manifests itself in obnoxiousness won’t convince anyone of the biblical truth of Reformed theology. As many of us can attest from personal experience, it will actually push them away.

    Try to avoid this if you can.
u/b3k · 7 pointsr/Reformed

That depends heavily on where you're coming from and on what you mean by "Reformed".

You might want to study a catechism (or if you aren't credobaptist).

You might want to study through a reformed confession.

You might want to read a book by RC Sproul on What is Reformed Theology.

Basically, welcome! Tell us more so we can help you.

u/willadair · 3 pointsr/Christianity

Calvin is a great place to end up! If you want a good quick primer then read Welcome to a Reformed Church. It is pretty good instant primer on Reformed Thought. For a slightly more nuanced book, go with R.C. Sproul's What is Reformed Theology.

u/robertwilliams · 3 pointsr/Reformed

I recommend Chosen by God or What is Reformed Theology?, both by RC Sproul.

Something that might be useful to keep in mind is that Calvin did not write down the five points typically attributed to him. Instead, the Arminians challenged the traditional Reformed theology, and were refuted at Dordt with these five points. (You can read the Canons of Dordt at www.reformed.org under "Historic Documents").

The reason I point this out is that these 5 points do not stand on their own really. They start to make a lot more sense when you keep them in the context of the rest of reformed theology (e.g., the idea of the covenant, and the means of grace).

As far as Limited Atonement, the idea is that Christ's death actually accomplished our redemption, not just made it possible. It's also called "particular redemption". It's really a question of efficacy and intent, though - Dordt taught that Christ's death "is of infinite value and worth, more than sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world" but that "it was God's will that Christ through the blood of the cross (by which he confirmed the new covenant) should effectively redeem from every people, tribe, nation, and language all those and only those who were chosen from eternity to salvation and given to him by the Father."

u/mickeyquicknumbers · 1 pointr/Reformed

Highly recommend this one

Also, is he arguing for hypercalvinism in this exchange?