The Historical Basis of Calvinism

I am excited to see that Dr. Steven J. Lawson’s new book has just come out that confirms the historical rootedness of Calvinism. He in the process of writing a series of books that trace the doctrines of grace through history. In his first book (released a few years ago) entitled Foundations of Grace, Lawson shows that from the first book of Scripture to the last—or from Moses to John—the Bible teaches the five points of Calvinism. Now, in his second book called Pillars of Grace, Lawson shows that the doctrines of grace were upheld by the men who followed after the Apostles—from Clement of Rome all the way through to the Reformation leaders. His last three books will continue “the long line of godly men” all the way to the present day through men such as John Piper and John MacArthur. So, essentially, Lawson makes a compelling case that Calvinism is a very rooted and grounded truth spanning from Moses to MacArthur.

I encourage all of my readers to check out Lawson’s series of books starting with Foundations of Grace. You can learn more about his second book Pillars of Grace here.

By the way, Dr. Lawson's thesis is not a new one. Although some have tried to accuse Calvinism of being absent from the early centuries of the church (and the product of Augustine's mind), there is substantial evidence that reveals a steady strand of pre-Calvinists or pre-Augustinians in the early church. Several writers have attempted to show this in the past besides Lawson including:

John Owen in an appendix to his excellent The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

John Gill in The Cause of God and Truth

Michael Horton in his popular Putting Amazing Back Into Grace has an appendix that catalogues Patristic quotations that support the doctrines of grace.