The Wonderful Decree: Reconciling Sovereign Election and Universal Benevolence

"The Wonderful Decree" is one of those theological works that formidably condenses many subjects. When I started reading this book, I was impressed by the first chapter entitled "Musing over a Dark Providence", in which Dr. Travis James Campbell opens his heart to each reader, placing us in a story that is not foreign to our reality, in which we feel identified in many doubts, questions and resolutions. If you omit this chapter in your reading of this work, you lose something very valuable. What is the book about? Well, it could be said that it is a masterful and well argued exposition on issues such as the sovereignty of God, the love of God and human freedom from the Augustinian and Calvinist perspective. But, wait, this is not the typical book that makes an incomplete presentation of other theological positions (such as Arminianism), but rather with reliable sources, the author presents important aspects of each position. The book is divided into two parts: The first part is titled "Prolegomena", which is made up of two important chapters that function as the basis of the book. The second part entitled "The Wonderful Decree", consists of five chapters, in which the presentation of the matter, the conditional-sovereign choice and the benevolence of God are developed. At the end of the book, the reader will find interesting appendices, of which the entitled "Isaiah 45: 7 and the Origin of Evil" was very useful for me. The book also has index names and subjects, allowing us to do specific searches in the text, as well as scripture references. And yes, the footnotes are not at the end of the books (I know that many prefer that) It is important to mention that, although the book addresses deep theological issues, it is very accessible to read. The author does an exceptional job of accurately segmenting and explaining each issue. In short, this book is a useful tool for both Calvinists and not. To the former, it helps a better understanding of Reformed soteriology, for the latter, it is a book that helps to better understand the Reformed perspective in a well-argued way. I received this book for free from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review for the book.

In this work, author Travis James Campbell sets forth an extensive and well-argued case for the "traditional Augustinian and Calvinist approach" to the questions of God's sovereignty, unconditional love, and human freedom. Lexham Press, as always, has done a great job on the design, and the book looks great and is a delight to read. Totaling just over 350 pages, it is thorough and extensive, though readable for non-scholars. Part of its size is due to 50 pages of appendices and a 20 page bibliography. Both of these features, especially the appendices related to sub-topics of the doctrine of sovereignty and election, are quite helpful. This work sets forth a biblical, theological, historical, and logical argument; it is tightly reasoned and carefully researched. Campbell interacts with an impressive array of sources, both contemporary and historic. Commendable is the fact that he is dedicated to providing his opponents with fair consideration: the author labors to lay out solid representations of competing views (i.e., Arminian and Molinist), referencing up-to-date sources and arguments. Additional interaction and argumentation is provided in the vast number of footnotes throughout the work; many readers, including myself, will appreciate this dense trove of notes, though others may skip over them and still absorb the chief ideas and arguments. Also noteworthy is the fact that the author draws in not only Protestant sources, but also Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Jewish works. Campbell's book touches on a wide array of topics, though the central question remains present throughout the entire work. While not agreeing with every single point, I found myself convinced by the primary thrusts of the author's argument. This is the best, most well thought defense of the traditional Augustinian position on this topic that I have read. Campbell articulates his assertions clearly, and presents a case that is not merely theological and logical, but exegetical, as he deals directly with numerous biblical texts, even interacting with the original languages. He has a rare ability for bridging exegesis and biblical theology with philosophic and theological reflection. One of the most enjoyable aspects of reading this book, though, was Campbell's pastoral passion and purpose. He writes as a pastor, and his personal testimony of pain, suffering, and doubt proves that this is not an abstract question for him, but one with which he has wrestled deeply. While theologically convincing and very informative, I also found the book spiritually edifying, walking away even more assured of the magnificent, beautiful, sovereign love of the Triune God. I will definitely return to "The Wonderful Decree" in the future, and eagerly recommend it to anyone who is motivated and interested in the topic, whether in the church or in the academy. *Note: I received this book for free, courtesy of Lexham Press, but was not required to give a positive review.*