Willing to Believe: The Controversy over Free Will

Beginning with the heretical bishop, Pelagius, Sproul traces Christian thought concerning free will by focusing on the views of Augustine, the Semi-Pelagians, Luther, Calvin, Arminius, Edwards, Finney, and Chafer. I appreciate that Sproul as usual works hard to accurately state the position of those with whom he disagrees, which made his chapter on Arminius one of my favorites. The chapter on Chafer and dispensationalists is the weakest because Sproul does not focus enough on primary sources for his information on dispensationalists. This left me wondering if he was fair to the dispensational view. The book would have been better too if it had a conclusion that summarized the material, developed where the church is at now with this show more issue, and suggested action for encouraging a more biblical view of man and his will.
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What does an individual contribute to his or her own salvation? Does God wait on the doorsteps of our hearts, quietly hoping to be let in when we decide to open the door? Or does he call us and pursue us in a way we can't resist? The debate between the irresistible call of God and a human being's free will has raged for centuries. So what is the answer? And why does it matter?In Willing to Believe, R. C. Sproul uncovers issues that provoked the Reformation and revived the controversy between Pelagius and Augustine. He carefully explores the relationship between original sin and human free will, clarifies misconceptions about the work of God in a believer's liberation from sin, illuminates the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation, and show more offers compelling reasons to believe the work of salvation is in God's hands. show less

A detailed look at the views of free will over the centuries of Christianity. Sproul covers the views of Pelagius, Augustine, Semi-Pelagians, Martin Luther, John Calvin, James Arminius, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, and Lewis Sperry Chafer. If you are a Christian, you will find your position on free will described in this book, and compared to all of the other views.

12 23 minute sessions
CD Audio