The Attack on Calvinism in 19th Century America

Calvinism is not the dominant influence in American religious life today, but it used to be. What happened? In this brief clip, W. Robert Godfrey describes the dramatic change that took place in 19th-century American church life.

[solas]

People worship their free will and autonomy. They HATE a God who is on the throne and does what He pleases. This is why Calvinism is hated. It puts man in his place

[cork]

Total Depravity:
Romans 1:18 - 3:31

Unconditional Election:
Romans 9:10 - 29, Ephesians 1:4 - 7

Limited Atonement:
Hebrews 9:28, Mark 10:45

Irresistible Grace:
John 6:37, Ephesians 2:8, Acts 13:48

Perseverance of the Saints:
Romans 8:30, Philippians 1:6

I used to not believe any of these points, but now I do!

[jamesh]

I love these lectures. Thank you! So insightful and necessary to gain an understanding of America’s religious history. I find it all fascinating.

[RobertWilliam-yugi]

Pelagianism has gone full circle, the majority of Pastors world wide are preaching the heresy of Pelagianism.

[yvfhfcy]

Calvinism is a cult.
Simply because a faction is a dominant denomination, does not lend to its credibility at all.
Matthew 7:13.

[robertluff]

Terrific video, but it cuts Dr. Godfrey off mid-sentence. Is there a follow-up video that completes his thought?

[timothy]

In reality, the attack is against the attributes of God and the sinfulness of man. For instance, God's sovereignty (Isaiah 46:9-11, Proverbs 16:9, 21:1, Psalm 138:5-6, Daniel 4:34-35, Acts 2:23, Romans 9) is lowered to the point where God decrees or controls nothing in order for man's will to be "free." And that freedom flies in the face of the depraved sinfulness of man (Romans 3:9-20, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 2:1-3, John 3:18-20, etc.), which now must also be eliminated to say, "Yes, man is sinful, but he still has the capacity to choose or do good." Though Jesus Himself said man is a slave to sin which only can be freed by Him (John 8:34-36), that sinful man can only come to Him unless drawn by the Father (John 6:44), and that the sinful world hates Him, God the Father, and Christians (John 15:18-23). The Bible further says the carnal mind is hostile against God so no one in their sinful flesh can please God (Romans 8:5-8).


At the end of the day, the doctrines that are labeled Calvinism or reformed are founded and grounded in the Word of God. When others attack the label, attack the man, or attack other believers because they have emotional objections doesn't negate the fact that the Bible is full of these doctrines from cover to cover. And when we elevate sinful, finite man to the point where we think he has "libertarian free will" and lower God so that His attributes of sovereignty, omnipotence, and omniscience are only "partial" to make man's "decision" the deciding factor in their salvation, we give glory to ourselves and give faint "glory" to God for "doing His part" and us "doing ours." It is the very thing spoken against at the end of Ephesians 2:8-9.

[davidenglish]

Its a shame these comment sections are filled with Calvinists who like to hear the sound of their voices a little to much.

[ilikeeggs]

This hasn't changed at all, anytime I'm talking or chatting with other christians and Calvinism gets brought up they immediately get hostile and start saying the rudest and most vile things about their fellow christians, simply because they're Calvinists. Some will even call me satanic... SMH. They certainly like their ears tickled.

[dennisdabney]

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Now we are on the Outside with Him.

[brodiapunch]

"As education came to be suspected... Doesn't education lead you to read those European books and confuse you?" - This statement, without the necessary context, feels out of place. Which education? Which European books, and why do they lead to confusion? So many questions.

[jon]

Where can I see/hear the rest of this?

[MelvinMcDowell]

Can somebody brief me on the history of Baptists as far as Calvinism is concerned? Godfrey characterizes Baptists as non-Calvinistic, yet I know there are Reformed Baptists and after doing a quick check of the 1689 Baptist Confession I see that it states in Chapter 9: "Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil."

[zippymax]

I wish these lectures didn't look so staged--i.e. I wish they were real. I also wish they were at least ten times longer and more in depth.

I have generations of Presbyterean and Wesleyan ministers on both sides of my family, and 450 years of Mennonites (from Prussia via Russia) in one branch of my of my family. I've heard arguments over these things since I was a child, and remember tent revivals fondly.

I lean toward Calvinism myself, but I self-invented a dialectical structure of thought thirty years ago to simultaneously embrace and reconcile both free will and predestination, because both concepts are equally prominent in scripture.

I would like to hear much more detailed lectures regarding such things on this channel because I (mostly) trust the teachers here, and find these things eternally interesting.

[markwhite]

The God of Calvin is more like Allah than the God of the Bible! They twist His love and His word! Verses that clearly state that God loves the world and desires them to repent are made to sound completely disingenuous! Why would God command everyone to repent if they cant! Why would God say TURN AND LIVE! If they cant turn to Him! He Himself says we are to seek Him with all our heart and we will find Him! Calvinism makes God a liar!

[jayahladas]

If "No free will to choose" were true then the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment would be a joke. What's to judge? Think on these things:. how could souls be judged and held responsible if their actions had been predestined without free will? Is that just?

[otiscorn]

If Calvinism is attacked or if it flourishes is because of the decree of God if Calvinism is true.

[angloaust]

Two seeds woman and serpent
Christ died for the womans seed!

[T.Ravikumar]

✨1 Cor 3:4✨
"For when one says, “I follow Paul, ” (I'm a Paul'ist) and another, “I follow Apollos, ” (I'm an Apollo'ist), aren’t you fleshly?"

This is what Paul wrote in the New Covenant. If this was the reprimand for people who started following personalities. It's surprising that there still people who follow personality based belief systems.

✨1 Corinthians 3:18-23✨
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”
20 And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”
21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,  
22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours,  
23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

[twenty-fivethirty-six]

I don’t see much difference between Calvinism and other teachings like; prosperity, hyper grace, word of faith, etc., they all trample the blood of Christ by not applying it properly.