Over on my personal blog, I just posted an article entitled: On Loving an Arminian. It was written because I, despite being a Calvinist, have fallen in love with a woman who is part of the Society of Evangelical Arminians.
Due to not wanting to hotlink the pictures, as well as the fact that since I wrote this Steve and I are going to have a long conversation about the physical properties of concrete and the extremely low odds of my spontaneously evolving gills, I'm not reposting it here. I do ask, however, that if you want to leave any comments, please leave them here on Triablogue and not on my personal site (as I rarely check the spam filter over there, so your comments will be in limbo, probably for months, if you try to comment there).
That was a very interesting story! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on falling in love, on falling in love with a Christian, and congrats, also, on having the strength of faith to see beyond mere theological preference in doing so.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's not God's sense of humour that's done this though, but a blessing in response to His care for your human welfare as believers, and sheep of his fold.
As well, it could be as a subtle hint not to profess to follow Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Calvin, or Arminius, but Christ alone, and Christ pre-eminently. Again, prayers for you both.
(BTW Did you manage to catch any of the world Jr. tournament in Buffalo?)
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWhen I met my wife, I was neither a Christian nor a Calvinist. I was an ex-Roman Catholic who had drifted into New Age theology. Luckily, my wife brought me back to Christ.
I always had some issues with RC, and after finding out the issues of the Reformation (they didn't teach it in any of my RC school classes, interestingly enough), I definitely sided with Protestantism. But after researching theology, I became Reformed--but not willingly. God had to work hard to show me that Calvinism was the Bible rightly interpreted.
My wife is an Arminian as well. But we don't let that get us down, either. We have much in common, and both of us believe in salvation by God's grace alone, through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That should be enough for any Christian couple, regardless of theology!
May God bless your union, and may you both continue to serve him well.
Peter - I will be praying that this relationship becomes more and more what God desires. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy for you Peter and I'm really glad that you guys are able to respectfully disagree but... 9there's always a but!) here's a question that I'm sure you've discussed in great detail: What do you teach your kids?
ReplyDeleteTriablogue has jumped the shark!
ReplyDeleteIt's now the reformed version of e-harmony. Aaaaack!
But seriously, congratulations on this predestined romance. You unconditionally elected Skarlet to be your honey and she showed irresistible grace to the perseverance of your clumsy, though saintly overtures. Piker, you are totally depraved for falling in love with an Arminian, but who can fault you for your limited theological knowledge when you've made atonement by being a complementarian and biblical patriarchalist!
You da man!
;-)
Well, thanks for the kind remarks everyone. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs far as David's question: "What do you teach your kids?"
Right now, we're just boyfriend and girlfriend, but since dating is looking at a potential spouse, we've asked that question of each other. It is probably the biggest thing keeping us from making a stronger commitment in regards to the future.
In theory, I could advocate just teaching a strong view of Scripture and letting them decide on their own--but it's a lot more difficult when you start thinking of *your* children rather than just a theoretical set of children!
And since Skarlet and I are both convinced we are right, and neither of us wants to compromise the truth, it is most certainly tricky. We've basically decided at this point that either one of us will have to convert to the other position, or else God will have to show us some other way. I'm guessing it's probably going to be the latter, since we're both pretty set! Of course, that means we'll have to see whatever alternative there is for us to have, but I'm pretty sure we'll be able to work something out in the end. And when we do, I'll probably post another blog about it :-D
For purely selfish reasons I think this is terrible! If Peter starts spending more time with Skarlet then he will have less time to read and to provide us with his thoughts through this blog - the blogsphere will be impoverished!
ReplyDeleteI have been married for two years now (I am 31 and my wife 25). We go to a Bible-based evangelical Anglican church in Sydney. I am self-consciously a calvinist. The preaching at our church is calvinistic. My wife is not self-consciously a calvinist although I am sure she would accept calvinist propositions over arminian ones if put to her that way. She has a simpler faith than I do. This does not cause any problems for us (although I realise this is a different situation than with Peter).
ReplyDeleteYou haven't read I Cor 6:14, which says "Be ye not unequally yoked together with Arminians: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14, KJV).
ReplyDeleteOops. 2 Cor 6: 14.
ReplyDeleteVictor,
ReplyDeleteThat's okay. I already told Skarlet that she will get to heaven before me. After all, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 does say "The dead in Christ will rise first." :-D
(Thankfully, she's got a great sense of humor too.)
AMC,
I am sure I'll blog just as infrequently now as I did before, so don't worry about that!
Peter,
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you and Skarlet. Your kids will probably imbibe the best of both and be Molinists. :-)
God be with you,
Dan
Wonderful wishes for you Peter,
ReplyDeleteA Frame article on "Walking Together"
despite your denominational differences-
http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1999Walking.htm
'Walk on- not away'
Dan, not sure Peter wants them confused.
ReplyDeletePaul, then it's best to keep them from Van Til. ;-)
ReplyDeleteC/A seems fairly low on the list things to worry about when raising kids...
God be with you,
Dan
Can marriage between an arminian wife and a Calvinist husband work? Yes. Can a marriage between an *avowed* arminian wife and Calvinistic husband work? Only if one stops being "avowed".
ReplyDeleteDon't take the vow unless her position changes (from being avowed).
Dan, ah, touche!
ReplyDeleteCraig,
ReplyDeleteHow are you using the word "avowed"?
Peter,
ReplyDeleteby "avowed", I mean someone who not only self-consciously has chosen a certain position, but is dedicated to it to the point of undermining other positions.
That's an interesting story, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCD