Easy Chairs, Hard Words: Conversations on the Liberty of God [Paperback]

Douglas Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, "Why still find fault? For who resisted His will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
Romans 9:18-20a

Hard words, indeed. But they remain, for all our explanations, God's words.

Easy Chairs, Hard Words offers an honest look at many such difficult passages in Scripture. Presented as a series of fictional conversations between a curious young Christian and a seasoned pastor, these dialogues speak with clarity to those new to the Reformed faith. They begin with the question, "Can salvation be lost?" and from there wrestle with other hard-to-swallow doctrines, including the freedom of the will, election, and original sin.

Hard words, and yet the understanding given these passages is thoughtful and gentle. For our God—the God of hard words—is a merciful and loving Father, slow to wrath and quick to pardon, a triune God who graciously rescues men from death and brings them into everlasting life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Douglas Wilson is pastor of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho and editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine. He is the author of Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning, Reforming Marriage, and Her Hand In Marriage.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Canon Press; 1 edition (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885767307
• ISBN-13: 978-1885767301
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 5.5 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #315,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Douglas Wilson is the minister of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, which is a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC). After his stint in the submarine service of the U.S. Navy, he attended the University of Idaho, where he obtained an MA in philosophy.

As one of its founders, he has served on the board of Logos School, a classical and Christian school (K-12), since its inception. He is also a Senior Fellow of theology at New St. Andrews College. He is the author of numerous books, including Reforming Marriage, The Case for Classical Christian Education, Letter from a Christian Citizen, and Blackthorn Winter. He is also the general editor for the Omnibus textbook series. His blog can be found at www.dougwils.com.

All his favorite authors begin their names with initials--C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, H.L. Mencken, J.R.R. Tolkien, N.D. Wilson, and P.G. Wodehouse. The one exception is Nancy Wilson, a favorite author to whom he has been married for over thirty-four years. They have three children and fifteen grandchildren.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Death of Arminianism in Plain English July 19, 2000

By Jerry Dodson

Format:Paperback

Arminianism is like a head cold: you can catch it without knowing it, but you can't get rid of it without a fight. The average Christian finds much comfort in the tenents of Arminianism (God is manageable, sin is not the incapacitating force the Bible says it is, I can "help" God with my salvation and sanctification, etc) but little biblical support. Because Arminianism as a system tends to promote fuzzy thinking and an impervious resistance to logic or systematic theology, it is a most difficult foe to vanquish. Fortunately, Doug Wilson has delivered a death blow in shirtsleeve English. Recording the conversation of a Calvinist pastor and a recovering Arminian, Wilson gently demolishes all the errors of the Arminian system in an engaging style. All Calvinists should read this book in order to learn to present the truths of the Bible in a clear and attractive manner. All Arminians should read this book in order to learn the truth.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cogent, Logical, Lucid Defense of Reformed Belief June 26, 2000

By Phillip J. Rodgers

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Douglas Wilson may be the most articulate of all the current defenders of Reformed theology writing today. Not since I read John Gerstner's all but unanswerable "Predestination Primer" (available in "Primitive Theology: The Collected Primers of John H. Gerstner") have I run across a comparable defense of the Augustinian (or Calvinist, though I truly believe that it is simply the Biblical) sytem of belief. Indeed, superb as Gerstner was, Wilson's imagined dialogue may be the more effective presentation. I cannot recommend this too highly. Ironically enough it is the ideal antidote to such slipshod exercises in sophistry as Gregory Boyd's "God of the Possible". Wilson will probably never have the rapturous following that some Christian thinkers have because A) He makes it look easy (It takes a superior intelligence to take topics this weighty and make them so clear) and B) People will reject what he is saying, not because it is false, or illogical, or unBiblical; they will reject it because they don't like what he says. The Rev. Wilson finds himself in enviable company there. All Christians should read this excellent book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Opens Hearts and Minds. June 2, 2000

By Joseph R. Graber

Format:Paperback

A young man has questions about "eternal security" or "once saved - always saved", and he goes to visit an older Reformed minister to get some answers. They decide to meet on a regular basis and the young man would bring questions to discuss. Over the course of the discussions they end up covering the essentials of the Reformed faith.

Because of the non-threatening but interesting way that Doug Wilson draws the reader into the dialogue, I use these as an "evangelistic tool". I've given out more of these books than I can count...with tremendous results!

This is a great way to approach an Arminian friend with the Reformed faith.

Moves fast. Easy to read. Interesting. Good story.