What Love Is This?: Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God

Hunt's book on Calvinism is long, but worth the time if you are interested in Calvinism. The book is full of information on the subject and breaks down each letter of the doctrine of TULIP. What Love Is This includes quite a few sources, many of them from Calvinists like Sproul, Piper, MacArthur, Boettner, and even Calvin himself. While Hunt maintains that there are "fine Christians on both sides" of the Calvinist debate, he proceeds to expose the false ideas that Calvinists have about God and the Bible. Ideas like the words world (as in For God so loved the world) and all (as in through one mans offense judgement came to all...through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all...) refer only to the elect. Hunt points out inconsistencies found in Calvinism such as the idea that man is incapable of repentance and faith but condemned for failing to believe. Hunt also shows why Calvin's lifestyle is evidence that he isn't a teacher one should follow. Calvin, like Augustine, believed his form of Christianity should be imposed on others. Besides torture and banishment, Calvin even advocated executing those he deemed to be heretics. Christian leaders such as Tim Lahaye, Chuck Smith, Elmer Towns, William MacDonald, Chuck Missler, and others gave the book a positive review. Hunt's book is well written, well researched, and one that readers on both sides of the Calvinist debate should take a look at.

This is truly an excellent book. Mr. Hunt has listed detailed information concerning the theology of Calvinists and has documented his sources very well. Many Calvinists are critical of him and say he does not understand the topic well enough to elaborate on it because of its complexity. With unmitigated arrogance, Mr. James White stated the following in an open letter to Mr. Hunt, "You pressed on despite the best efforts of many who have spent years studying the issue that you seemingly mastered in less than a year. Now the work is out, and the issue is beyond your personal welfare." I must agree, it is a very complex doctrine, but only because it has been fabricated by man and steeped in tradition and conjecture. However, Mr. Hunt understands its tenets well enough to give an informed and factual rendering of the subject.Mr. Hunt gives us the historical background of this theology in a proficient manner. Many have criticized his portrayal of John Calvin and say he characterized him unfairly by discounting the social and political climate of the times. This is a spurious assertion and lacks any credibility. John Calvin, as Mr. Hunt purports, was instrumental in the execution of Servetus, accusing him of heresy. Some seven years before Servetus was executed, John Calvin wrote to his friend, Farel, on February 13, 1546 and stated, "He offers to come hither, if it be agreeable to me. But I am unwilling to pledge my word for his safety; for if he does come, and my authority be of any avail, I shall never suffer him to departalive." Furthermore, John Calvin never showed remorse for his actions. Nine years after executing Servetus, John Calvin stated, "Certainly his arrogance destroyed him not less than his impiety. And what crime was it of mine if our Council, at my exhortation, indeed, but in conformity with the opinion of several Churches, took vengeance on his execrable blasphemies... posterity owes me a debt of gratitude for having purged the Church of so pernicious a monster." It is without justification, that a professing Christian could participate in an atrocity as reprehensible as this one was and not feel, through the moving of the Holy Spirit, a terrible and great conviction of their sin, unto repentance. Christ never gave permission to murder someone based on the accusation of heresy. Perhaps John Calvin did not have a very good understanding of God's Holy Word, which would explain the confusion perpetrated by Calvinists in the theological realm today, or chose to defiantly ignore the teachings of Christ. Nevertheless, the facts listed in Mr. Hunt's book are accurate. Mr. Hunt also shows that John Calvin based much of his theology on the teachings of Augustine of Hippo. Augustine is considered the greatest of the Latin Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church and is also considered one of the most prominent Western Doctors of the same Church. The Roman Catholic Church has dedicated a feast day to Augustine, on August 28, which is the day of h

First, a little background. I grew up as a believer blissfully unaware of the Calvinism debate. Then, a couple of years ago I got exposed to Calvinism through R.C. Sproul's ministry. Despite nagging questions, I became an ardent and enthusiastic 5-Point Calvinist. I read nothing but Calvinist authors (like Piper, Boice, Boettner, Lutzer, Macarthur and Sproul) and I began to filter everything through the grid of Calvinism. I also listened to Sproul every day. However, since the "apparent" inconsistencies in Calvinism still haunted me, I decided to put Calvinism on trial. Since I had already heard one side, I decided to hear the other. Despite the fact that Calvinists universally berated Dave Hunt as being an ignorant yokel, I figured I would have to read his book to find out what the hubbub was about. Dave's book, along with George Bryson's, poked so many holes in Calvin's case that it could no longer hold water (at least in my mind.) I concluded that, at worst, Calvinism is flat out wrong, and at best, there is at least enough reasonable doubt about each of the five points to reject the whole system as a unbiblical. Read this book, put Calvinism on trial. As for me, I will never call myself a Calvinist again.

Dave Hunt has done it again. Some 20 years after his highly controversial, yet highly important book "The Seduction of Christianity", Dave has come up with another shocker! This time he examines what is surely the most divisive issue in Evangelical Christianity - namely CALVINISM.From start to finish the reader of this book, regardless of his or her stand on the issues, will be compelled to hear Dave out. He does all he can to clearly explain what Calvinism is - not by simply telling the reader what Dave thinks it is, but by providing the reader with quote after quote from those leaders in the Christian community who are themselves Calvinists. Dave Hunt leaves no room for guessing here. He makes his case clear. Calvinism, in Dave's book, is clearly a false theological system that has its beginnings in 4th and 5th Century Rome. If anyone wants to understand the genesis of this doctrinal system, this book is a must.Dave goes on to point out the glaring inconsistencies, the misapplied logic, and the oft used Scriptures that supposedly support the TULIP. He then proceeds to throughly dismantle the system with a plethera of scripture references and an overview of the true nature of God (which Dave feels is attacked by the concept of Calvinism).This book will undoubtedly upset the staunch Calvinists. In fact, from the early returns, it appears that even reviews such as mine will suffer because I give the book a high rating. But the fact remains that if someone wants to know how non-Calvinists view the TULIP this book is a must! Dave Hunt clearly and concisely sums up the "other side" for everyone. Even if the reader disagrees with his conclusions, he or she can at least have a better understanding of how other Christians look at their doctrinal distinctives (ie Calvinism's 5 points).I wholeheartedly recommend this fascinating book to Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike!