Saving Calvinism

Is there hope for Calvinism beyond TULIP?For many, Calvinism evokes the idea of a harsh God who saves a select few and condemns others to eternal torment. Others find comfort in the Five Points of TULIP with its emphasis on the sovereignty of God's grace. Oliver Crisp thinks both sides have too small a picture of the Reformed tradition. There are ample resources for developing a more expansive Calvinism. Reformed Christians have inherited a vast mansion, but many of them only live in two rooms, reading John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards on repeat, while the rest of the house lies waiting for someone to discover its treasures.Saving Calvinism explores some of the thorniest problems in the Reformed tradition, including free will, the extent of the atonement, and the possibility of universal salvation. By engaging a host of Reformed thinkers and exploring often ignored ideas, Crisp shows that Calvinism is much more diverse and flexible than the stereotype suggests.

Oliver D. Crisp (Ph.D., King's College, London) is reader in theology at the University of Bristol and visiting lecturer at Regent College in Vancouver. His previous titles include Jonathan Edwards and the Metaphysics of Sin and Divinity and Humanity.