YPT Podcast Episode 38: Can Calvinists and Arminians be Friends? (Chris Talbot)
Calvinism and Arminianism is possibly the most common theological debate among Bible college students. Some act like it’s a question that determines whether or not you’re even a Christian; and others brush it off as a stupid and inconsequential issue. Why does this debate continue to carry importance today, and how can we learn to partner with each other for the sake of the Great Commission?
What's a basic overview of Calvinism and Arminianism, and why are these pitted against each other?
Why is this theological difference important for youth workers today? Can’t this remain a theological debate from long ago?
What is a "Reformed Arminian"?
What are some practical ways you’ve seen youth pastors’ soteriology affect their day-to-day ministry?
How can youth workers partner with other pastors or churches who believe differently about this topic? What practical suggestions do you have and what boundaries might be good to draw?
Excerpt from this Episode
So what are some other practical ways that you've seen youth pastors soteriology and theology of conversion affect their day to day ministries?
I think it has to do with having a high view of the gospel, a high view of God, having a picture of the supremacy of Christ, like in our lives, and that can exist in both a Calvinist theology or in Armenian theology, but it has direct implications for the way that we do things. And so we think that the gospel is beautiful and that then turns into being successful and good evangelists.
I think the best way that we can encourage teenagers to be good evangelists and good disciple makers and good disciples period, is trying to give them a robust and a strong view of what it means for God to save people. Now, again, we can have disagreements on this. We're not conflating like Armenianism and Calvinism. But the more we can communicate to teenagers a beautiful picture of what it means for God to save individuals, and do that theologically, but in a really profound and beautiful way, I think that inevitably leads to them having a desire to see others be saved by the same loving God, the same God that has saved them and saved others, and to see that happen in the future.
Yes, amen. And so one of my goals in this conversation was to try to demonstrate that a Calvinist and an Armenian can have conversations about this and still be friends at the end. And to also acknowledge that not every Calvinist is some wrath-spitting hellfire and brimstone person and not every Armenian is Charles Finney.
About the Episode
Chris Talbot, program director of youth and families at Welch College, and youth pastor at Sylvan Park Church in Nashville.
Recommended Books:
40 Questions on Arminianism (J. Matthew Pinson)
The Promise of Arminian Theology (Bracey & Watts)
The Quest for Truth (Forlines)
Chris’ new book: Christians in Culture: Cultivating a Christian Worldview for All of Life
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