Why I Am Not a Calvinist

This monograph presents a systematic philosophical and theological critique of Calvinist doctrine, particularly its understanding of divine sovereignty, human freedom, and salvation. Walls examines the core tenets of Reformed theology through both scriptural analysis and philosophical argumentation, challenging what he perceives as fundamental inconsistencies in Calvinist thought.

The work centers on the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility in Calvinist theology. Walls argues that Calvinist determinism, which holds that God unconditionally elects some for salvation while passing over others, creates insurmountable problems for understanding God's love, justice, and goodness. He contends that if God possesses the power to save all people but chooses to save only some, this fundamentally contradicts the biblical assertion that God desires all to be saved. The author employs modal logic and contemporary philosophical analysis to demonstrate what he sees as the incoherence of compatibilist views of freedom within Calvinist frameworks.

Walls develops his critique through engagement with historical Reformed theologians including Calvin, Edwards, and contemporary defenders like Paul Helm and R.C. Sproul. He examines classic Calvinist responses to the problem of evil, arguing that their theodicy fails precisely because it makes God the ultimate author of sin and damnation. The work particularly focuses on the doctrine of irresistible grace, suggesting that genuine love requires the possibility of rejection, making coerced salvation conceptually impossible.

The author advances an Arminian alternative that preserves both divine sovereignty and libertarian free will. He argues this position better accounts for biblical passages about universal atonement, human responsibility, and divine love. Walls employs extensive scriptural exegesis alongside philosophical argumentation, examining key proof texts used by both traditions. His methodology combines analytic philosophy with biblical theology, drawing on contemporary action theory and moral philosophy to illuminate theological disputes.

This contribution enters longstanding debates within Protestant theology about the nature of God's relationship to creation. By applying rigorous philosophical analysis to Reformed doctrine, Walls provides intellectual resources for those questioning Calvinist theology while defending a version of classical theism that emphasizes divine love and human freedom. The work represents a significant contemporary restatement of Arminian objections to Reformed theology, demonstrating how philosophical theology can clarify perennial doctrinal disputes about divine attributes and human salvation.