Did you choose God or did God choose you? At the core of the conversation about divine election lies the answer to that question. No, the entire debate cannot be simplified that far, but the entire debate does have a watershed dividing point. The answer to that question determines which side of that watershed a person falls.
In 40 Questions About Divine Election, author Daniel Kirkpatrick tackles many of the tricky questions surrounding the biblical concept of election. The first eight questions develop a historical perspective on election and are going to appeal to Christians with a specific interest in the historical context of the debate. Kirkpatrick begins to hit his stride in the second section (questions nine through twenty-four) where he unpacks the biblical evaluation of different aspects of election. For a Christian desiring to wade into this issue, Kirkpatrick’s work in this section is helpful. He tackles a range of issues from election being corporate or individual to the concept of the hardening of the heart, to limited or unlimited atonement. I found the author to be fair in his treatment of viewpoints he disagrees with while being careful not to overstate his own position.
In part 3, the author addresses ethical issues surrounding election. This section deals with sticky questions that come up surrounding one’s view. For example, if not all people are elect, is it legitimate to state that God loves all people and desires them to be saved? In the final section of the book, Kirkpatrick tackles some of the practical issues surrounding the doctrine of election.
This entry in the 40 Questions series by Kregel is a very solid one. Kirkpatrick does a very nice job of representing both viewpoints. He also addresses the common ground that both positions share. For example, both sides agree that election is a biblical concept. The disagreement is over the basis of that election. We also all agree that salvation is completely by grace through Christ. We just disagree over whether certain aspects of salvation can become a “work” if not viewed (from our perspective) biblically.
The author also does a nice job of describing the things that divide the two positions. He unpacks the idea that an unconditional choice made by God actually violates the concept of the human will. He also answers objections such as the accusation that unconditional election makes God’s choice of people for salvation arbitrary.
40 Questions About Divine Election takes on a thorny subject. The reader will not find a comprehensive study of the concept but will find a very helpful intro-level work on pretty much every issue surrounding the debate over election. This book serves as a great conversation partner on the subject, and I would highly recommend it as a place to begin unpacking one of the most glorious aspects of the gospel. I received this book from Kregel in exchange for a fair and honest review.
