What a Straw Man Argument is and What is Not.

Apologetics, Calvinism, Christianity, determinism, free will, FreeThinkingMinistries.com, Gospel, logic, Molinism, Phil Kallberg, Straw Man Fallacy, Theology and Christian Apologetics
[Editor’s Note: in November 2025, at the Evangelical Philosophical Society meeting in Boston Massachusetts, Tim Stratton and Phil Kallberg presented a coauthored essay, “Is Divine Determinism a Different Gospel?”. You can see it here or listen to here. The provocative essay – critiquing a major brand of historic Christian thought: Calvinism – evoked some controversy. Phil responds here to one of the critiques.] I’m inspired to write this both for the accusations of “straw manning” that came from Tim’s and my essay at the 2025 EPS, and due to examples that I have seen. While no one accused me of this directly (all the interactions I had with people in relation to the essay were positive, even when they were pushing back), I heard through the grapevine that some people…
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Why Didn’t God Create a Universe Where Everyone Believed?

AFR, Apologetics, app, Bible, Calvinism, Christianity, cross examined, faith, google play, Jesus Christ, Podcast, Radio, Romans, Spotify, stitcher
Is faith in God a personal choice, or is it something that God forces on people against their will? Misinterpretations of Romans 9 have led many Calvinists to read this narrative into the Scriptures, but what are they missing and what does the context of Romans 9 actually reveal about its intended meaning? For this midweek podcast, Frank revisits the discussion surrounding the issues of election and the sovereignty of God. Can you have love without free will? Did God only die for some people? Does God allow us to make some choices but not others? Is there anything that God can’t do? And what are some of the bad theological and moral implications of five point Calvinism? All this and more will be discussed in this eye-opening midweek podcast episode. To view the…
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