Victor Reppert at [Dangerous Idea](http://dangerousidea.blogspot.com/) has a lovely discussion up on the [Problem of Evil](http://dangerousidea.blogspot.com/2005/03/why-calvinists-cant-solve-problem-of.html) which could stand some looking into. It has a very narrow focus, and doesn’t by any mreans try to “solve” the problem of evil. Instead, he’s does a little work toward demonstrating that the traditional Calvinist solution has some problems.
Basically, there are two main traditional solutions to the problem of evil, and they both have their problems. The Armenian position is that there is evil in the world because men are free. Our freedom is paramount and trumps God’s omnipotence, onmiscience, etc. The problem with this position is that, biblically, God has clearly determined some things, otherwise there would be no prophecy, and Paul’s (frequent) mention of preordination would make no sense.
Calvinism, on the other hand, insists that God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect goodness trump our free will, such that God has foreordained basically everything. Yet, because we do have free will, at least in the sense that we do in fact do what we want to do (nobody drags us kicking and screaming), God is just in condemning the sinner and redeeming the repentant. Traditionally Calvinism has had the upper hand in most Evangelical circles.
Reppert doesn’t touch Armenianism, but points out some of the flaws in the Calvinist understanding. If God is really good and really omnipotent, then he must be actively bringing about the best outcome.
> The problem with Calvinism is that on the Calvinistic view God sovereignly determines the outcome of every action. And there are situations which persevere into eternity which very clearly could have been better. In particular, “Smith’s going to hell” is a situation which goes preseveres into eternity and is not going to get better.
> Consider what philosopher Douglas Jesseph calls “The World of Mr. Rogers.”
In the world of Mr. Rogers, it’s all a big happy neighborhood and everyone does what is right, and then go to heaven when they die. This world is obviously a better world than this one. Just ask anyone who has gone to hell and see if they wouldn’t prefer the World of Mr. Rogers.
The traditional Calvinist rebuttle to this is that Mr Roger’s World is actually the inferior option but, poor humans we, we’re too insufficient to perceive that this is in fact the best of all possible worlds. Unfortunately,
> I think these arguments from the limits of our knowledge have more force where the final outcome is unknown or inadequately understood. We know the final outcome in both worlds. Everyone is happy in the WMR and everyone gets saved. Many people suffer in our world and some are lost.
Reppert then (delightfully!) brings up an old Star Trek episode to illustrate his point that a free will where there are no legitimate choices (since the Calvinist God is also in control of what we want) is an inferior kind of free will.
So far, I’m with him,and I hope he continues in this vein for a while. I have only a few thoughts to add:
* Reppert asserts that Captain Kirk was modeled after JFK (“JTK, JFK. Say no more”). I had always assumed that James T. Kirk was modeled after James T. Cook, discoverer of Easter Island (on whom was also modeled – at least in name – James T. Hook.). Reppert’s JFK assertion is very spurious and needs to be shored up 😉
* Reppert doesn’t present a clear solution. I have my preferred solution: The bible clearly states that God is soveriegn and that he has preordained certain events. It is not clear that He has preordained *every* event. Did God preordain exactly which shirt I would be wearing this morning? (Actually, considering how systematically I pick my wardrobe, He may well have. Let me try again…) Did God preordain exaclty the number of strokes I would use with my toothbrush this morning? I’m not so sure He did. (Though, He *does* know the number of hairs on its head). On a more urgent scale, did God irrevocably preordain that I would go to heaven, while Hitler went to hell? Again, I’m not so confident. Rather, I would say, the things that God has predetermined to happen, *will* happen—absolutely, irrevocably. Jesus Christ *is* coming back. There *will* be wars and rumors of wars. BUT. Those things which God has not specifically revealed, I’m not so confident about pronouncing on whether God has preordained them from the foundation of the world. Einstein said “God does not play dice,” and while I’ll agree that He probably doesn’t shoot craps on Friday nights, He may very well play monopoly.
neumatikos 
Just about Captain Kirk. I could have called Kirk the Bill Clinton of outer space, and make the same point. JFK was the great advocate of the space program, on everyone’s mind when Star Trek came out, and quite a womanizer. Perhaps “clearly” is a bit too strong.
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Ah. Now I get the parallel. Competition. “Good with women.” Thanks.
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