Customer Reviews

Amazing Grace: The History & Theology of Calvinism

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I've been a Christian for close to 20 years...all of which time I was Arminian. I shunned the concept of Calvinism because it seemed altogether unjust & perposterous. The Bible is full of countless referrals to 'God's Elect'...this was supposedly God talking about people whom he saw down into the future as accepting His offer of salvation. This documentary exposes this nonsensical myth in the plainest most logical terms possible. The scriptural support for the doctrines of grace are utterly irrefutable & to watch this presentation one cannot help but feel foolish for believing Arminianism & the shaky, weak foundation that 'Free Will' is based on. I am reading Luther's 'Bondage of the Will', a marvellous additon to the Amazing Grace presentation..as well as books by Jonathon Edwards, BB Warfield & Charles Spurgeon on the subject. What most struck me about this presentation was how crystal clear the bible became after realizing Calvin didn't invent anything ..he just penned in his own words...what was already in the bible...it was not an idea he just came up with to refute the Arminians... Augustine the great theologian believed in election long before Calvin was ever born...& it's evident to me now ..that Paul the Apostle most definitely knew his salvation was God's choice...and nothing of his own self. If you plan to buy this...& you're Arminian...as I was...watch it with an open heart & mind...& set aside the natural reaction of "that isn't fair"...without setting that mindset aside..one cannot embrace the Just & Merciful God of the Bible.

This is best documentary I have seen so far, and also the most entertaining. On the day that I've received it, I watch through the entire documentary non stop for ~4 hours+. The presentation of the biblical Christian and Calvinist doctrines of grace unfolds like a detective story, as Eric Holmberg takes the audience on a journey first though the history of the entire monergism/ synergism controversy in the church and how the biblical teaching of salvation is totally antithetical to what passes as most of modern day evangelicalism. In the second part of the documentary, the viewer is taken through Scripture to illuminate God's Word as pertaining to the subject, showing the errors therein the heresy of Arminianism, Semi-Pelagianism, and Pelagianism, ending off with a demonstration of the poisonous fruit of this heresy as worked out in the lives of its adherents and in modern day history. The third part of the show then goes on to show the implications on evangelism and give us guidelines according to Scripture on how to do it.

I would highly recommand this DVD set to all who want to know more about God and about the entire Calvinist/Arminian controversy. In fact, I strongly encourage all Christians everywhere to get it, as I believe that only when God is given the full glory for Man's salvation and only when God is enthroned in salvation and evangelism will God work to bring about awakening and revival, for God 'will not share his glory with another' (Is. 48:11). The marketing techniques of the purpose driven and seeker sensitive churches are just symptoms of the underlying pride of Man thinking he can help God to win souls. Until and unless we repent and realize that God is the only Saviour and we are to follow His ways in evangelism, we will continue to reap false conversions and destroy the church from within.

What a refreshing and clear definition of Reformed theology. Never have I seen the absolutely clear and precise presentation of Calvinism, except in book format. If you really want to understand the biblical definition of God (theology), man (anthropology), sin, redemption, election, foreknowledge and quite simply Calvinism, or as C. H. Spurgeon put it "the gospel", then you will want to get this DVD. It was great for my children who are all under 9. They watched with anticipation as Eric Holmberg narrarates through the almost 5 hours of presentation. You get church history concerning the controversy, from Augustine and Pelagius through the Luther/Erasmus debate. I challenge those who are clearly Arminian and those who are Semi- Pelagian, as well as those in much of the SBC who are a mixture of both (Psuedo-Arminians) to examine the video. It will be worth your while. May God grant grace to the viewers of this film that their eyes may be opened to His glory in all its fullness. Amen.

Our Sunday school teacher purchased this DVD and has been showing it in our class for the last four weeks. The results have been nothing short of astounding. We have been energized with a desire to evangelize like never before, taking confidence in knowing that God is sovereign and He has guaranteed our success. I have purchased a copy for myself, as well as my father in law (who is a Baptist minister.) This video is never boring and is chalked full of great commentary, vignettes, and interviews (not to mention the music is a great blessing. I find myself humming Amazing Grace throughout the day!) I beg you, no, I implore you get a copy of this for those friends and family who are Arminians (even if they do not know that word) and for your church library. You have everything to gain...

I watched this three time already in the last month. First, it goes into the history of Calvinism. It answers the most common objections toward Calvinism. It list a number of great preachers and Christians who made a great diffence in our world from the past to present. Preachers and scholars that made a impact were Calvinist in their theology. It also talks about how this impacts evanglism and why we should use the ten commandments in doing so. It goes into scriptural defense of Calvinism and the alot of other things.
The first disc is about 3 hours long, and the second is about hour.

Great DVD and I hope all that want to know about Calvinism would watch this amazing presentation.

A friend/co-inductive bible study teacher shared his copy of this DVD. All I can say is WOW. This video goes over `church history' on various heresies that have been introduced into the church over time and how the church has dealt with them. The examples used in their explanations will help me as I facilitate adult inductive bible studies. While this DVD obviously gives the history of Calvinism, the value of this DVD is how various people in the past viewed various truths of scripture and the ramifications of misinterpreting / taking out of context what the bible says. This DVD will be in our family library shortly.

How wonderful! Amazing Grace is absolutely complete in its examination of Reformed Theology. As a result, it ends up being over four hours so you know you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. Don't let the length scare you though. It's broken into three distinct sections, has a nice pace and feel to it, and is much more visual than you would expect a documentary like this to be.

The reputation AMAZING GRACE has gotten over the years is very well founded. A documentary this long on this subject matter seems destined to be boring. But AMAZING GRACE is as captivating as any book ever written on the topic of reformed theology. Check it out! You will become so well equipped to compassionately dialogue with any Arminian, and to lead your whole congregation in doing the same. The sovereignty of almighty God is wonderfully extolled by this documentary.

I grew up in a typical evangelical home and just naturally absorbed the view of God, man and redemption that circulates in this world. Pertinent to this particular video, that meant that I thought that man had to find God and that He was in some respects bound to the whims and plans of men. (A close cousin to this: that Satan was alive and well on planet earth and was locked into a life and death struggle with Jehovah for the destiny of men and nations.) And then I discovered Francis Schaeffer - which then led me to a number of other writers -- modern and old -- who presented a different perspective on these important issues. Well, long story short: this video helped me as much as anything to "make the switch" and embrace with real understanding and fervor the theology of the Reformation. Thanks Mr. Holmberg (for this and also for Hell's Bells 2)! A new generation of reformers is being raised up by the Lord in these turbulent times!

If ever there was an indictment against the false Arminian doctrine of free will, this is it! Great historical research shows that most Protestant churches have jumped in bed with Romanism on the all-important matter of the will, and as a result have embraced a semi-pelagian view of justification; justification by works.

The DVD is over four hours long and yet never boring. Covering the historical, theological and consequences of the Remonstrance, this incredible work will cause Arminians to cry "foul" and Reformers to exclaim "GRACE!"