BOOK REVIEW: "JESUS' ALTERNATIVE PLAN: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" BY RICHARD ROHR

I checked this book out when a Bible study I'm involved with was about to start on the Sermon on the Mount. He gives background information. For seven chapters - Rohr doesn't start dealing with the Sermon on the Mount until chapter 8. There are 9 chapters. No, it wasn't much help.

There were other things that bothered me about this book. It came across as a cross of mystical and liberal. For example, he does not believe that the Gospels were written by the person they're attributed to. He regularly states Jesus was killed. Traditional churches usually say "Jesus died," which is consistent with the Biblical view Jesus gave up His life for our sins; Rohr's method sounds like it was the Religious Leaders in control, not Christ. Shortly after reading this, I heard him referred to on podcasts I listen to as being progressive and new thought.

I recommend this for those who know the Bible well enough to realize what's off base and then read it so you can respond to what doesn't fit. As a book on the Sermon on the Mount, I do not recommend it.

BOOK REVIEW - "JACOB ARMINIUS: THE MAN FROM OUDEWATER" BY RUSTIN E. BRIAN

I don't know if you have had the same experience, but it seems most definitions of Arminianism comes from Calvinists, especially those who want to throw the whole theology under the bus and brand it as heresy, questioning the salvation of those who dare disagree with them.

For this reason, I've read a couple of books to see what Arminians really believe several years ago, and reread them recently. As you'd expect, one thing I'd want to read is a biography. "Jacob Arminius: The Man from Oudewater" by Rustin E. Brian is an excellent starting point.

Brian divides his book into three parts. The first three chapters evaluate Arminius' early life, his pastoral ministry, and his years as an educator. Chapters four through six investigates his theology concerning the Bible, his Christology, and - as you'd expect - his views on predestination and salvation. Next, he compares him to Pelagius (the chapter's title is Arminius is not equal to Pelagius), John Wesley, and Karl Barth. He concludes on how this relates to present time.

Interesting facts. Would you believe one of Arminius' teachers was Theodore Beza? Would you believe the starting point of Arminius' theology is not Predestination but his Christology? Would you believe Arminius' focus on free will was not whether the unregenerate could choose to follow Christ (Arminius agrees with Calvin on total depravity) but whether evil men do evil do so by their depraved free will as opposed to God predestining them to do evil and then condemning them for doing what they are made to do?

I highly recommend this book. It may not convince you that Arminianism is more accurate than Calvinism, but it helps us realize that Arminianism falls very nicely into the category of orthodox, evangelical, Biblically based theology.