Introduction
James Dolezal, Assistant Professor in Cairn University’s School of Divinity, published a previous work on this area of theology, God without Parts: Divine Simplicity and the Metaphysics of God’s Absoluteness (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011), his 2011 Ph.D. dissertation at Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, PA). There has been interaction with the issues raised by that volume over the intervening years. Dolezal has also published articles on related subjects in academic journals, e.g.: “A Practical Scholasticism? Edward Leigh’s Theological Method,” Westminster Theological Journal 71:2 (Fall 2009), pp. 337-354; “Still Impassible: Confessing God Without Passions,” Journal of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies 1 (2014), pp. 125-151; and “Eternal Creator Of Time,” Journal of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies 2 (2015), pp. 127-158. His second volume, All That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2017), was reviewed a few times from July to September, 2017. However, it was not until John Frame posted a reaction to it in a critical review on November 25th that the theological blogosphere really ignited on the case Dolezal makes in this second work.
We have tracked the progress of this online discussion below. We hope to follow up with further installments as (if) the discussion progresses.
Compiled by Jack Jeffery
Joel Zartman, “All That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism, by James E. Dolezal” (22 JUL 2017), on Unknowing at https://unknowing.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/all-that-is-in-god-evangelical-theology-and-the-challenge-of-classical-christian-theism-by-james-e-dolezal/ [accessed 1 DEC 2017].
Malcolm Yarnell, “All That Is In God” (AUG 2017), on reformation 21 at http://www.reformation21.org/shelf-life/all-that-is-in-god.php [accessed 2 DEC 2017].
Johnathan Kruemcke, “All That is in God: A Review” (14 AUG 2017), on Labor for Truth at http://www.laborfortruth.com/single-post/2017/08/14/All-That-is-in-God-A-Review [accessed 2 DEC 2017].
Joseph Minich, “A Review of James Dolezal’s All That Is In God” (31 AUG 2017), on The Calvinist International at https://calvinistinternational.com/2017/08/31/review-james-dolezals-god/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
Andrew Wilson, “Simple God” (25 SEP 2017), on Think at http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/simple_god [accessed 11 DEC 2017].
John Frame, “Scholasticism for Evangelicals: Thoughts on All That Is In God by James Dolezal” (25 NOV 2017), on Frame-Poythress.org at https://frame-poythress.org/scholasticism-for-evangelicals-thoughts-on-all-that-is-in-god-by-james-dolezal/ [accessed 29 NOV 2017].
Mark Jones, “Reviewing Frame’s Review of Dolezal” (27 NOV 2017), on The Calvinist International at https://calvinistinternational.com/2017/11/27/reviewing-frames-review-of-dolezal/ [accessed 29 NOV 2017].
Jordan Cooper, “Response to Frame’s Criticism of Dolezal on Theistic Mutualism” (28 NOV 2017), on Just & Sinner at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/justandsinner/response-frames-criticism-dolezal-theistic-mutualism/ [accessed 1 DEC 2017].
Joshua Sommer, “Divine Simplicity in Scripture” (28 NOV 2017), on The Baptist Reformation at https://reformbaptist.com/2017/11/28/divine-simplicity-in-scripture/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
Kevin DeYoung, “All That Is In God” (29 NOV 2017), on The Gospel Coalition at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017]; reposted with introductory paragraph 5 DEC 2017 on The Aquila Report at http://theaquilareport.com/all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 11 DEC 2017].
Keith A. Mathison, “Book Review: All That Is in God by James Dolezal” (29 NOV 2017), on Tabletalk at https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/2017/11/book-review-all-that-is-in-god-by-james-dolezal/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
Matt Colvin, “The Exegesis of Immutability” (29 NOV 2017), on Calvinism at https://colvinism.wordpress.com/2017/11/29/james-dolezal-and-the-exegesis-of-immutability/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Keith A. Mathison, “Unlatched Theism: An Examination of John Frame’s Response to All That Is in God” (30 NOV 2017), on TableTalk at https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/2017/11/unlatched-theism-an-examination-of-john-frames-response-to-all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
Scott Meadows, “Review: All That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism, James E. Dolezal,” Journal of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies (2017), pp. 137-141; on Reformed Baptist Academic Press (RBAP) at http://www.rbap.net/1620-2/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
Joel Zartman, “Heating Up” (30 NOV 2017), on Unknowing at https://unknowing.wordpress.com/2017/11/30/heating-up/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
John Frame, “Biblical Personalism: Further Thoughts on Scholasticism and Scripture” (30 NOV 2017), on Frame-Poythress.org at https://frame-poythress.org/biblical-personalism-further-thoughts-on-scholasticism-and-scripture/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
John Samson, “All That Is In God” (30 NOV 2017), on Effectual Grace at http://effectualgrace.com/2017/11/30/all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
John Frame, “Scholasticism and Creation” (1 DEC 2017), on Frame-Poythress.org at https://frame-poythress.org/scholasticism-and-creation/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Mike Riccardi, “Simplicity, Scholasticism, and the Triunity of God” (1 DEC 2017), on the Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/simplicity-scholasticism-and-the-triunity-of-god/ [accessed 1 DEC 2017].
Kyle Dillon, “Roundup on the Frame-Dolezal Dustup” (1 DEC 2017), on Allkirk Network at https://allkirk.net/2017/12/01/roundup-on-the-frame-dolezal-dustup/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017]. [1]
Brian Collins, “Review of James Dolezal, All that Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism” (21 DEC 2017), on Exegesis and Theology at https://www.exegesisandtheology.com/2017/12/21/review-of-james-dolezal-all-that-is-in-god-evangelical-theology-and-the-challenge-of-classical-christian-theism/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
Jordan Cooper, “Response to Frame’s Criticism of Dolezal on Theistic Mutualism” (4 DEC 2017), on The Aquila Report at http://theaquilareport.com/response-frames-criticism-dolezal-theistic-mutualism/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Tony Arsenal, “Socinianism, Divine Simplicity, and the Eternal Functional Subordination Controversy” (4 DEC 2017), on Reformed Arsenal at https://reformedarsenal.com/socinianism-divine-simplicity-and-the-eternal-functional-subordination-controversy/ [accessed 11 DEC 2017].
Kevin DeYoung, “All That Is In God” (5 DEC 2017), on The Aquila Report at http://theaquilareport.com/all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 11 DEC 2017]; a reposting with introductory paragraph of Kevin DeYoung, “All That Is In God” (29 NOV 2017), on The Gospel Coalition at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/all-that-is-in-god/ [accessed 30 NOV 2017].
Nick Batzig, “Creation, Incarnation and the Immutability of God” (6 DEC 2017), on reformation 21 at http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2017/12/creation-incarnation-and-the-i.php [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Keith A. Mathison, “Unlatched Theism: An Examination of John Frame’s Response to “All That Is in God”” (7 DEC 2017), on The Aquila Report at http://theaquilareport.com/unlatched-theism-examination-john-frames-response-god/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Kevin DeYoung, “Immutability and Reformed Theology” (7 DEC 2017), on The Gospel Coalition at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/immutability-reformed-theology/ [accessed 8 DEC 2017].
Bobby Grow, “Arius, ‘the good Greek’: And Miscellanies on the Greekification of God” (8 DEC 2017), on The Evangelical Calvinist at https://growrag.wordpress.com/2017/12/08/arius-the-good-greek-and-miscellanies-on-the-greekification-of-god/ [accessed 11 DEC 2017].
Gary Gilley, “All That Is In God Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism by James E. Dolezal” (27 DEC 2017), on Think on These Things at http://tottministries.org/all-that-is-in-god-evangelical-theology-and-the-challenge-of-classical-christian-theism-by-james-e-dolezal/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
Bill Roach, “Classical Theism And Theistic Personalism: Part 1, Understanding The Issues Between James Dolezal And John Frame” (5 FEB 2018), on William Roach at https://williamroach.org/2018/02/05/classical-theism-and-theistic-personalism-part-1-understanding-the-issues-between-james-dolezal-and-john-frame/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
Wyatt Graham, “Reflecting on “All That Is in God” by James Dolezal” (6 FEB 2018), on De Trinitate at http://wyattgraham.com/reflecting-god-james-dolezal/ [accessed 7 FEB 2018].
Matthew Celestine, “All that is in God, by James Dolezal” (24 FEB 2018), on Liturgical Monarchist at http://liturgicalmonarchist.
Andrew Moody, “[Not] All That is in God—When Divine Simplicity is too Simple” (8 MAR 2018), on The Gospel Coalition: Australia Edition athttps://au.thegospelcoalition.
Joel Zartman, “Not Enough Virtue Signaling” (8 MAR 2018), on Unknowing at https://unknowing.wordpress.
Peter Leithart, “Questioning Simplicity” (22 FEB 2018), on Leithart at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/
Peter Leithart, “Simplicity and Divine Properties” (9 MAR 2018), on Leithart at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/
Peter Leithart, “Simplicity’s Not So Simple” (22 MAR 2018), on Leithart at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/
Matt Emerson, “Early Christian Interpretation and Classical Christian Theism” (9 APR 2018), on Biblical Reasoning at https://secundumscripturas.
Matt Emerson, “20th Century Theology and Classical Christian Theism” (11 APR 2018), on Biblical Reasoning at https://secundumscripturas.
Updated: 18 APR 2018
Compiled by: John T. “Jack” Jeffery
Pastor, Wayside Gospel Chapel
Greentown, PA
Monthly Catalog:
2017 (29)
JUL — 1
AUG — 3
SEP — 1
NOV — 10
DEC — 10 [2]
2018 (10)
FEB — 4
MAR — 4
APR — 2
[1] Dillon’s catalog of “Reviews of Dolezal and Responses to Frame,” is followed by “Related Posts”, and “Recommended Readings,” along with several updates currently through 7 DEC 2017.
[2] One of these is a reposting of a previous article from November.