It seems that the study assistant has gotten a little less free in its answers today. Anyone else notice this? Or am I getting high on my own supply?
Thanks,
David
The recent What's New talk talked about upgrading the AI… I wonder if that had an effect on that
I tested your LOTUS question…
LOTUS and TULIP comparison
> What is the LOTUS acronym and how does it compare to TULIP?
The search results don’t directly address this question. The documents provided focus on botanical and biblical references to lotus flowers, not theological acronyms. However, I can answer from my general knowledge:
LOTUS is an acronym representing an Arminian (or more broadly, non-Calvinist) theological framework developed as a counterpoint to Calvinist doctrine. It stands for:
Comparison to TULIP:
TULIP represents Calvinist theology: Total Depravity (humans are completely engrossed in sin), Unconditional Election (God determines salvation without regard to foreseen human action), Limited Atonement (Christ died only for the elect), Irresistible Grace (the chosen will inevitably follow God), and Perseverance of the Saints (the chosen will never reject God’s grace)[1].
The two systems represent fundamentally opposing views on divine sovereignty and human free will. TULIP emphasizes God’s absolute predestination and the inability of humans to resist grace, while LOTUS emphasizes human agency, the possibility of rejecting salvation, and God’s election based on foreseen faith. Where TULIP sees salvation as entirely God’s work, LOTUS preserves a meaningful human role in accepting or rejecting God’s offer.
[1] Mark Nickens, A Survey of the History of Global Christianity (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 142.
@David R. Block could you be a bit more specific and maybe give an example for your before/after experience
In general, that is not something to be concerned about (and it is your perception!). Rephrase your query, use "All books" if you were using "Your books" (and vice-versa), follow-up for more "precision/freedom".
Now we need tutorials and a manual of cryptic formulas for how to use Smart Search in order to bypass the former difficulties of figuring out cryptic formulas for searching. After all these years, when I just need to find some passage in various versions or perhaps need quick access to something specific in a Bible dictionary or Commentary—I still go to the clear, quick simplicity of eSword.
I had asked a question about the LOTUS alternative to TULIP, and got an acknowledgment of LOTUS’ existence, now it has total amnesia.
I have also wondered this at times but I don't know how to test it. I haven't played around with the new version yet but collection smart search is either here or will be soon. I would test it with searching collections and then all to see what comes up.
Smart search does pick up some odd books at times to answer my query. It has led to finding books I forgot I had at times. Other times I scratch my head…
Interesting. It gave me a completely different list of points for LOTUS.
The provided search results don’t directly address LOTUS as a replacement for TULIP. However, based on my general knowledge, I can tell you about this framework.
LOTUS is indeed a Free Grace alternative to TULIP that attempts to preserve human responsibility while maintaining God’s sovereignty. The acronym stands for Limited depravity, Onditional election, Tunlimited atonement, Universal grace, and Self-determined perseverance (or sometimes variations on these terms).
The core differences reflect concerns you’ve already raised. Limited depravity rejects the idea that sin has completely corrupted every faculty; humans retain the ability to understand the gospel and respond to it. Conditional election ties God’s choice to His foreknowledge of who will believe. Unlimited atonement argues Christ died for all people, not just the elect. Universal grace suggests God’s grace is available to everyone, not irresistibly applied to the elect alone. And self-determined perseverance emphasizes that believers can choose to remain faithful or fall away.
LOTUS emerges primarily from Free Grace theology, which emphasizes that salvation comes through faith alone without the necessity of Reformed categories like irresistible grace or logically prior regeneration. It’s designed to address exactly the concerns you expressed—preserving genuine human choice, divine justice, and accountability—while still affirming biblical teaching on sin and grace.
That said, LOTUS hasn’t achieved the widespread recognition or theological influence of TULIP. It remains a minority position, though it represents a coherent attempt to navigate the sovereignty-responsibility tension differently than either Reformed or classical Arminian frameworks.
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