Today’s edition covers good and bad responses to John MacArthur’s passing, recent cases of religious discrimination being reversed, whether Arminianism or Calvinism came first, and much more.

“Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” (Proverbs 4:13)

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REACTIONS TO JOHN MACARTHUR’S DEATH: MANY TRIBUTES, SOME TIRADES

Pastor John MacArthur’s death on Monday evening, announced on social media by his media ministry Grace to You, was followed by a flood of responses this week—mostly positive, some negative. Here are some highlights.

A list of reactions, tributes, and reflections reads like a Who’s Who of prominent Christian and cultural leaders across various traditions. Peruse some of them here:

In the words of journalist Ruth Graham, in her overall fair treatment of MacArthur’s life and legacy for the New York Times, MacArthur was “a theological conservative and natural polemicist.” Well, as a result, he had more than his share of detractors, and there have been some less-than-glowing responses to his passing. Here are a few dust-ups:

In a video posted by MacArthur’s close ministry partner Phil Johnson, the beloved pastor answers what’s going to happen to his church and ministry after he’s gone. Watch that here.

→ Two recent cases in which religious discrimination was reversed:

→ “West Virginia’s ban on the abortion drug mifepristone” has been upheld in the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, reports LifeNews. For context, banning abortion pills does not prohibit women from using other methods of murder (i.e., abortion), which remain legal for women in all 50 states. As I (Anthony Langer) wrote in a Louisville Courier Journal op-ed earlier this year:

→ The Church of England removed guidance requiring candidates for ordination to agree that “homosexual practice [is] especially dishonourable.” As The Worldview in 5 Minutes reports, “The Church of England has allowed clergy to enter homosexual civil partnerships since 2005. Last year, it approved services of blessing for homosexual couples.”

→ A Kentucky court of appeals ruled that a Jewish woman has standing to challenge the state’s partial abortion ban because she “has nine frozen embryos right now that she’s paying to preserve as part of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process and doesn’t know how she can proceed with the process under the state’s restrictions on abortion and definition of life,” reports Kentucky Lantern.

→ A European pro-LGBT, pro-abortion group called European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights released a report claiming to identify a trend of religious institutions “regaining power” in Europe, a development that the authors call “the next wave” of “religious extremism.” Hungary Today calls the report “an Openly Anti-Christian Attack on True European Values.”

Recent, notable content of Christian interest.*

→ “Republicans wanted fewer abortions and more births. They are getting the opposite”: Pro-abortion journalist Judith Levine highlights how, under the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, abortions have increased and birth rates have not. (Article)

→ BETRAYAL or BELIEF?: On the YouTube channel SO BE IT!, Jeff Morgan and Aaron Abramson reveal and respond to what Jewish people think about Jews who come to faith in Jesus Christ. (Video)

Which Came First, Arminianism or Calvinism?

Arminianism and Calvinism are two opposing theological understandings of how God’s sovereignty and man’s will work together, especially in salvation. One would think that these systematized schools of thought would have begun with their namesakes, but as it happens, in both cases, the systemized formulation of their thoughts into concise points arose after their deaths. So, which came first?

In the late 16th century, the teachings of John Calvin (1509-1564), emphasizing God’s sovereignty, shaped Reformed theology. After his death in 1564, theological debates arose. In 1589, the ecclesiastical senate of Amsterdam asked a minister named Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) to respond to theologian Dirck Coornhert’s criticisms of Calvin’s ideas. Arminius instead found himself convinced and, emphasizing free will, became a prominent opponent of some of Calvin’s doctrines.

In 1610, one year after Arminius’ death, his followers presented “the Arminian Remonstrance.” This document outlined five articles challenging strict Calvinist doctrines on predestination and grace, sparking controversy within the Dutch Reformed Church. To resolve the dispute, the Synod of Dort convened in the Netherlands from 1618 to 1619. Theologians, including Theodore Beza’s successors, debated the Remonstrance. The synod rejected Arminianism and issued the Canons of Dort, formalizing the five points of Calvinism, summarized later with the acronym TULIP:

These points defended Reformed theology, emphasizing God’s sovereignty in salvation. The Canons became a cornerstone of Reformed doctrine, influencing churches worldwide.

So, although Calvin came before Arminius, one could say that Calvinism, in its famous five-point formulation, came after Arminianism. Or, to be more confusing, one could say that Calvinism was a response to Arminianism, which was Arminius’ followers’ response to Calvin’s ideas. Fancy that.