Randal Rauser

Tag: love

Love, omnibenevolence, and Francis Chan

Posted on 01/08/13 15 Comments

In his recent book Erasing Hell Reformed pastor Francis Chan addresses the question “How can God be loving and still send people to hell?” This is his first point in response: “First, God is love, but He also defines what love is. We don’t have the license to define love according to our own standards and [...]

Can you be expected to love somebody who might not exist?

Posted on 08/02/12 7 Comments

In “Does God limit evidence to protect human freedom?” I critiqued Gerald O’Collins’ claim that God limits the evidence for his existence to protect the freedom of humans to choose to believe in him. David Evans responds: “O’Collins seems to be saying that God always leaves room for a reasonable doubt as to His existence. [...]

Calvinism at Madame Tussauds

Posted on 01/11/12 51 Comments

In my article “Compassion Reformed” I claim that a Calvinist theology which accepts that God loves some creatures but not others ought to qualify the compassion we feel for others. In this article I’m going to unpack that reasoning a bit further. It is important to keep in mind at the outset that we are [...]

Who is on a tirade against Calvinism?

Posted on 01/04/12 27 Comments

I have noticed in the past that often when I write an article critiquing Calvinism Steve Hays of Triablogue writes a response soon after in which he describes my critical analysis as a “tirade”. For example, in the past he has said ”Randal Rauser is currently on a tirade”. Other times he has referred to ”Randal Rauser’s [...]

Does God hate those he does not save?

Posted on 12/20/11 41 Comments

This article was originally published at The Christian Post in January, 2010. *** Many Christians assume that God loves all people. This is hardly surprising since scripture declares that God loves all creation (John 3:16-17) and desires to see all people saved (1 Tim.2:4; 2 Pe.3:9). Indeed, the notion that God is loving to all, [...]

Tigers, Tabbys, and God’s special love for his elect

Posted on 07/31/11 4 Comments

Who says God has to love everybody equally? (Sentimental Arminians, that’s who.) “Au contraire mon frere” says the Calvinist. There is nothing wrong with God having a general love for all humanity even as he has a special love for his elect. And why shouldn’t it be so? After all, as Linda asks, “Is it [...]

Don’t you want your baby to feel alright? John Calvin meets the Rascals

Posted on 02/21/11 9 Comments

Surely y’all ain’t too old to remember the Rascals singing “Good Lovin’.” In the song the singer begins by visiting the doctor about a particular ailment. The song does not spend much time describing the symptoms but the antidote soon becomes clear: Now honey please, squeeze me tight (squeeze me tight) Don’t you want your [...]

Mom’s wooden spoon and God’s arbitrary love

Posted on 02/20/11 9 Comments

Alex Jordan responded to my last post on the arbitrariness of God’s love for his elect creatures in Calvinism. Here is an excerpt from his response: ” “though God has not revealed why He sets His love on some unworthy objects rather than others, we do not not need to call this love arbitrary. The [...]

How Calvinism decimates the divine love

Posted on 02/19/11 37 Comments

Most Christians accept that God is omnibenevolent or maximally loving. And thus they believe the statement “God loves you” is true where “you” refers to any human person. Calvinists reject the divine omnibenevolence. Instead they are of two different opinions. To begin with, some argue that while God loves all people and thus “God loves [...]