PINEVILLE –  Joe Aguillard, president of Louisiana College, recently articulated his position on the theological system known as Calvinism and its place at LC.

The theological teaching developed by John Calvin in the early 1500s is best known for its five points that are summed up in the acronym TULIP. Each of the letters in the word represents a key doctrine of Calvin’s theology.

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The aforementioned doctrines have been the source of theological debate for centuries. In particular, Calvin’s teachings on election, atonement and grace have long been sources of theological disagreement.

Aguillard made clear he does not approve of Calvinism being advocated at LC in a posting on his blog on the college’s web site titled “The President’s Pen.” The blog, he wrote, “is dedicated to making clear that trumpet sound of this President’s position on where I stand in relation to leading Louisiana College.”

The trumpet sound Aguillard mentions in his explanation of his blog is a reference to 1st Corinthians 14:8 where the Apostle Paul writes, “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?”

Sandwiched between a look back on some struggles of the past year and a brief discussion of the recently launched $50 million capital campaign, in which Aguillard gave special emphasis to the $12 million earmarked for infrastructure needs, the president wrote the following:

“On January 17, 2005, eight years ago to this day, I was interviewed for the position of President of Louisiana College, an institution that I have revered from childhood.  In that interview, I was asked questions about the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, and specifically about Article 1V.  Salvation and whether Regeneration comes before or after salvation.  My response then is the same today.  I agree with the plan of salvation as written in the BFM 2000.

“For me, it is best explained by Dr. Adrian Rogers to whom I referred to that very night, three time president of the Southern Baptist Convention and Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee that reviewed the current BFM 2000.

“As BFM 2000 Committee Chairman, Dr. Rogers said it best then and I stand upon his explication today in his message, Reformed Theology, as well as his booklet, Predestined to Hell, Absolutely Not!  This is the “certain sound” that continues to represent my position as President of Louisiana College regarding Calvinism.  My love for all Baptists, including Calvinists, does not constitute our approval of its being advocated at Louisiana College.”

News of Aguillard’s statement was not well received by some students at the LC Caskey School of Divinity who maintain weblogs (also known as blogs). Their initial posts on the issue provided the impetus for wide spread discussion via social media.

One of the first students to comment on Aguillard’s statement was Joshua Breland, a recent alumnus of LC and student at Caskey.  On Feb. 4 he wrote on his blog The Daily Bleat, “I say with a clear conscience that I love Dr. Aguillard and wish him no ill will… That said, I am very disappointed with his recent condemnatory remarks about Calvinism and the battle that is now being waged against godly men that Dr. Aguillard hired.”

Two other blogging Caskey students announced that Caskey’s associate dean would not be having his contract renewed.

[Editor’s note: Some of the original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]