The Free Grace Movement is world-wide in it is scope and operates at all levels of ministry. This includes pastoral ministry and parachurch ministry of all shapes and sizes. Many are engaged in pastoral ministry while others are engaged in international pastoral training programs. Both are essential. Many are involved in missions and evangelism both domestically and internationally.
There is also the arena of the academic world that needs to be influenced by Free Grace Theology. This is often difficult territory given that so many in the academic world have been influenced by strong Puritan Reformed Theology. This fact makes the case as to why it is so important to influence the academic world by challenging biblical exegesis and biblical & historical theological assumptions.
There is a new book that does just such challenging: Augustine’s Conversion from Traditional Free Choice to “Non-free Free Will”, by Kenneth Wilson, D.Phil. (Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Grace School of Theology). This is Dr. Wilson’s dissertation from the University of Oxford, UK. This long anticipated book has been published by Mohr Siebeck, one of the top academic publishing companies in the world. Congratulations to Ken. This is the culmination of 10 years of rigorous academic work. Thank you for your faithful labor.
This book is not for the fainthearted. It is top flight academic argumentation including many Latin quotations. It provides evidence for a significant transition in Augustine’s initial theology that is the bedrock for all five points of Calvinism. As B.B. Warfield reminds us, Calvinism is simply Augustine theology! It also reveals the philosophical and theological basis for Augustine’s change in theology. If you want the cliff notes of this book you will find it in Chapter 2 of A Defense of Free Grace Theology, (Grace Theology Press) where Ken summarizes his dissertation in a very readable format.
Enjoy your summer and your summer reading.
Always remember- Readers are Leaders and Leaders are Readers.
Serving Him with you until He comes for us,
Fred Chay, PhD
Managing Editor, Grace Theology Press
