Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 07:1 (Spring 2010)
Article: Whosoever Will: A Review Essay
Author: Gregory A. Wills

JBTM 7:1 (Spring 2010) p. 9

Whosoever Will: A Review Essay

Gregory A. Wills1

Calvinism has grown in popularity among Southern Baptists in the past generation, just as it has among evangelicals broadly. Most Southern Baptist ministers and laypersons however do not consider themselves Calvinists. It is unsurprising then that as Calvinism grows in popularity in the denomination, it should meet with some opposition. Non-Calvinist Southern Baptists believe that Calvinism is in error in some of its core beliefs, and many fear that it undermines commitment to evangelism and missions.

In 2008 a number of non-Calvinist Southern Baptist leaders decided that the time had come to offer a public response to Calvinism. They organized the “John 3:16” conference and designed it to offer an alternative to five-point Calvinism. This book derives from that conference. The first six chapters were presented at the conference. The final five chapters were added subsequently.2

Five-point Calvinism refers to the five positions affirmed by the Synod of Dort in 1619 in response to the objections of the new Arminian movement against the confession of faith of the Dutch church. In the twentieth century these five points have been conveniently remembered in English by the acronym TULIP, standing for total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.

In the interest of full disclosure, I believe that Calvinism represents a generally correct interpretation of the Bible. Many of my heroes in the gospel ministry have been Calvinists—such men as George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Leland, Adoniram Judson, Jesse Mercer, Basil Manly, James Boyce, James Gambrell, and Charles Spurgeon. Although I care little for TULIPs and find the name Calvinist rather distasteful, these are the commonly accepted terms and I generally will employ them.

JBTM 7:1 (Spring 2010) p. 10

Southern Baptists, Calvinism, And The Sandy Creek Tradition

Southern Baptist discussions regarding Calvinism usually involve some discussion of how much Calvinism existed in the Southern Baptist past. History does not establish truth, but historical precedent lends credibility to claims of legitimacy. Calvinists and non-Calvinists both have claimed that the denomination’s theological heritage endorses their position. In this volume, Richard Land and David Allen for example suggest that the prevailing theology of Southern Baptists has been the “neither Calvinist nor Arminian” beliefs of the Separate Baptists, sometimes called the Sandy Creek tradition (46–51...