Peter Sammons. <i>Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty: Recovering a Biblical Doctrine</i>

The mere mention of the word “predestination” tends to elicit strong reactions from theologians, clergy, and laity alike. Historically, the doctrine lies at the heart of the Reformed–Arminian debate, and its emphasis on God’s sovereignty may not readily complement the libertarian outlook of the average Westerner.Peter Sammons believes that a single part of the doctrine of predestination lies at the crux of the dispute: the doctrine of reprobation. He argues in his work Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty: Recovering a Biblical Doctrine that reprobation has been improperly defined, misinterpreted, or otherwise misunderstood. This has largely resulted in theologians either speaking past each other or simply evading the topic altogether (p. 15).Sammons contends that a proper understanding of this historic doctrine avoids issues of theodicy (the tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, in particular) in addition to the mischaracterization of traditional Calvinism as “hyper-Calvinism” (p. 128). It should, furthermore, help exegetes understand passages of the Bible that, per Sammons, are difficult and are often avoided (pp. 268–69). His solution is, then, to explain reprobation as it has been historically understood and how it is currently held by those who espouse it. Sammons also offers treatments of secondary causes, a proper understanding of which is likewise integral to defending this doctrine.The initial third of Reprobation outlines why it is necessary to clarify the doctrine. It opens with a discussion of God’s authority. Sammons establishes concisely in the first two chapters that God is Lord over all. That is, God has the power and authority to be involved, in some way, in everything that comes to pass. This includes, then, the judgment and punishment of people for their sins. The doctrine of reprobation states as much; it is the “eternal, unconditional decree of God for the non-elect” (p. 47). Sammons then devotes four chapters to an exposition of Rom 9. This is done if only to demonstrate that predestination broadly and reprobation specifically are topics indeed present in the Bible, and, as such, they must be addressed. Though from a decidedly Reformed framework, his work accomplishes this small objective.The purpose of the book is finally taken up in the eighth and ninth chapters. Sammons outlines therein the ways in which reprobation has been misunderstood by Arminians, such as John Wesley, and even self-described moderate Calvinists, like Norman Geisler. The errors made were cases of conflating jargon, misapplying the doctrine, or maintaining a historically inaccurate view of Calvinism. The author responds by explaining the doctrine as known by its adherents, citing Calvin, Sproul, Berkhof, and the Westminster Confession of Faith, to name only a few.Sammons then addresses the issue of theodicy raised by this doctrine in the tenth chapter. This concerns reconciling God’s lordship over everything with his inculpability of sin and evil. Compatibilism, the notion that God works through the will of man to accomplish his decrees, is the proposed solution. In the remaining portion of Reprobation, he attempts to demonstrate how reprobation and compatibilism can be defended from objections and realized through secondary causes (the means that God uses to accomplish reprobation). Tangible examples of secondary causes (divine abandonment, removing restraints, hardening, etc.) are then helpfully provided for the reader.Sammons’s work is an enjoyable read for anyone interested in systematic theology. In a debate that can get very heated, the author counsels his readers to maintain “reverence, humility, gratitude, and compassion” (pp. 30–31)—a tone he mostly employs throughout Reprobation. Further, he explains a marginally technical topic in a way that is accessible for most audiences. He accomplishes this through concrete examples, attention to application, and supplemental appendixes. Someone unfamiliar with the Reformed tradition might find this a suitable guide for navigating its doctrines. A student of Wesleyan-Aminian theology, for example, might benefit from this book, if only to better understand a rival perspective.That in mind, Sammons does a fine job representing a historically Reformed position on these issues. His careful attention to include a wide host of Calvinist theologians in this work is commendable. As such, those who adopt the doctrines of grace might find this a convenient resource for articulating their positions on reprobation and compatibilism.Sammons’s work has many merits, but two critiques are worth noting for any potential reader. The author employs a repetitive writing style, often paraphrasing the same idea multiple times in a short space. (See, e.g., “The intention of this book. . . ;” “The purpose of this book . . . ;” and “This book will then seek . . . ,” all on page 15.) It is not clear if this is an issue of style or an intentional, pedagogical choice. It may not, as a result, always be apparent for the reader if the author is restating a point or introducing a new detail.The second relates to Sammons’s stated purpose. The author’s larger premise is that the aversion to predestination is a result of misunderstanding the doctrine of reprobation. In theory, then, a proper definition is the solution. However, Sammons admits that there is more to the debate, such as the underlying distinctive views of human will (p. 209). He acknowledges, further, that some objections to the doctrine of reprobation are not simply misunderstandings but are, instead, “bypassing evidence” (p. 170). As a result, he addresses objections that are not based on improper definitions, something he set out to avoid doing (p. 16).These observations are hardly drawbacks, however, and they should not deter anyone from picking up a copy of this work. There is much to be gained from Sammons’s efforts—irrespective the theological conviction of the reader.