The New Calvinists

New Calvinism: A Beginner’s Guide
Monday, March 16th, 2009 | Doctrine, People, Theology

John Calvin is back. Whether you like it or not.

This time he’s showing up in the New Calvinist movement. A movement, it seems, with intimidating force.

Last week Time magazine published it’s cover story 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now…

…and included New Calvinism as no. 3.

Pretty impressive when you consider the coming evangelical collapse and our slow decline to non-theism.

So, who are the New Calvinists behind this persuasive movement? Great question.
New Calvinists Defined

Think Minneapolis’ John Piper. Seattle’s Mark Driscoll. Capitol Hill’s Mark Dever. And Southern Baptist Convention’s Albert Mohler.

People who startle. Scare. Upset. Embarrass. They all share–to one degree or another–unrelenting intensity, demanding discipline and showcasing the glory of God.

Yet, as the New York Times reported, New Calvinists are still relatively few in number. Neither are they the next big thing.

Think of them as a protest movement.
New Calvinist Movement Defined

New Calvinists defy evangelical mainstream because they believe it’s gone soft on sin and watered down the Gospel into a glorified self-help program. In part, Calvinism appeals because it’s insensitive to seekers.

Yet there’s a groundswell of twenty- and thirty-somethings who are rejecting seeker-sensitive churches and charismatic congregations–neither which emphasize doctrine–and filling up the seats in New Calvinist churches.

These young adults, raised on a youth group party atmosphere that focused more on music and skits than Bible teaching, are hungry. They’re attractecd to the theological depth of Calvin and his teachings. In fact, it’s Calvin’s teaching that often brings them back every Sunday.

Echoing Emergent language, these New Calvinists say the preaching from Piper and Dever and Driscoll is “authentic” and “true to life.”

More importantly, they say that traditional evangelical theology falls apart in the face of real tragedy. Calvinism successfully explains the harsh world in a way Charismatics or abundant life preachers never could.
New Calvinist Beliefs in a Nutshell

What exactly are Calvin’s teachings? In sum, Calvinism–and the New Calvinist teaching–can best be explained with the acronym TULIP:

Total depravity: we are dead to God in our sins and it takes an act of God to save us.

Unconditional election: God chose to save some people–a remnant–according to his sole desire. We didn’t earn a thing.

Limited atonement: Christ died for this remnant–not for the whole word.

Irresistible grace: Those God chose can’t resist this call to salvation.

Perseverance of the saints: Believers will endure in faith through God’s power.

In truth, these really aren’t Calvin’s teachings. He’s simply articulated what the Bible already says. As Albert Mohler pointed out, simply defining God biblically makes people think in Calvinistic ways.

In fact, Chris Larson quotes Martin Luther–the father of the Protestant Reformation–to bring the point home:

“I opposed indulgences and all, papists, but never by force. I simply taught, preached, wrote God’s Word: otherwise I did nothing…. I left it to the Word.”
Enemies of New Calvinism

But Calvin and New Calvinists have their detractors. In 2005, provost of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Steve Lemke warned:

I believe that [Calvinism] is potentially the most explosive and divisive issue facing us in the near future. It has already been an issue that has split literally dozens of churches, and it holds the potential to split the entire convention [Southern Baptist Convention].

In an interesting blog entry, Mark Driscoll crafted a sophisticated rejection of old Calvinism in this way:

1. New Calvinism seeks to create or redeem culture. Old either rejected it or embraced it outright.

2. New Calvinism is urbanite. Old Calvinism is urban-phobic.

3. New Calvinism loves the Holy Spirit and his gifts. Old feared the Holy spirit and his gifts.

4. New Calvinism trusted other Christians. Old Calvinism didn’t.

Not long later, Driscoll amplified his thoughts on that last distinction, possibly motivated by challenges, namely suggesting that we can’t let negotiable elements of our faith turn us into cruel Calvinists–spiteful, cruel and arrogant.

A true-to-life caricature I think we can all agree on. And something to avoid, which Lemke is right to assert.
New Calvinists in Their Bedrooms

In the end, though, New Calvinists will tell you: it’s not about loyalty to Calvin or a movement or a system or one of their preachers.

It’s loyalty to the Word of God. And what it says.

And what it says startles, scares, upsets and even embarrasses. It’s probably not an exaggeration to say, then, that this scene plays out in New Calvinist bedrooms every night: Lying on their backs staring at the ceiling, shaking their heads, these Christians think, “Why would God choose any of us?”

Update: See Driscoll’s Confusion on Old Calvinism. James Grant offers Mark Driscoll’s some clarity on what might have been a short-sighted and confusing post. Mike Anderson of Resurgence fame even chimes in on the comments.

Also, read R. Scott Clark’s sophisticated argument about Driscoll not even being a true Calvinits at Calvinism Old and New.

Related posts:

1. TULIP: Where Did It Go Wrong?
2. Monergism.com: A Quick and Dirty Guide
3. Panel Discussion: Should We Hold the Death of Servetus Against Calvin? | DG 2009

Exegetical method

I've recently found this graphic exegetical method for dealing with exposiory texts very very helpful... give it a whirl and see what you think..

http://biblearc.com/web/

Meditation on Psalm 139:5

Psalm 139:5 You hem me in—behind and before;you have laid your hand upon me.

Were it any other hand it would be a hand of control and I would resist it. But because it is His hand I embrace it. His hand is gracious, tender, creative, life giving, and loving.
May His hand hold me, strengthen me, guide me, lead me, cover me, provide for me..
This hand is the beautiful nail peirced hands that broke bread and were broken by cruel nails and this is the hand that leads me.
I love this hand it has been good to me. It takes the broken and reforms it into something whole and solid and glorious to His name. So this day may your hand be apon me... It is a good hand..... your grace is irresistable.

Glad to be Evangelical.

The last two days have been spent on a course with Salt and Light Ministries on Preaching and Teaching. The quality of the teaching has been excellent, and again I felt my heart growing "large" at the joy that I find in God and His Word.

So often when I talk to people and say I am an Evangelical the word is usually sadly synonymous with self righteous homophoebic bigot. The term has come to mean in the eyes of many the "nasty party" of Christianity............ I feel we are misunderstood and the term has fallen tragically into misrepute.

So I want to give the following reasons why I am an Evangelical and am proud to be so.

1, At the heart of Evangelcalism is a love of the Triune God of Glory and He is the Centre of all things. Evangelicals believe in truth, absolute, knowable truth and the central truth in which we believe is that God is Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Perfect and whole and knowable...........and above every other thing He is all Glorious.

2, He has revealed himself in Creation, the Bible, and most perfectly in His Son Jesus. God in Christ has not stayed in heaven distant, unknowable and unconcerned. He has lived on Earth touched pain, felt agony, breathed and loved and most importantly conquered the thing that crushes us all death.

3. I am an Evangelical because I truly believe that the Bible is Gods word. It gives me a story in which I find myself. It shows me how to live life. It speaks to me daily. It gives me a morality that works. It gives me absolutes in a world of unbelief and fear. It comforts and holds me in moments of pain... It reveals to me the saving message of the Bible, how I can be forgiven, how I can become Gods Child, How to be a Husband, Father, Son and employee.... But most importantly it tells me about the God who made the world in which I live...... It is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. So with Joy I sit under it's authority and relish in its message. It is meat and drink to my life and I love it.

4. I am an Evangelical because as the Greek word Euengelion means Good News, I believe our message of salvation in Christ and Christ alone grants access to all who believe to eternal life. God loves people and wishes that none might perish, and calls to you from a bleeding cross "I love you come back to me, and I will give you life".

Is it self righteous,to say I didnt deserve forgiveness but God has freely forgiven me in Christ.
Is it bigoted to say this forgiveness is for all who believe
Am I Homophoebic? No I call all people no matter what their creed colour sexuality or race to turn to the wounds of Christ that they may be forgiven.
Is it nasty to want mankind to love honour and obey their creator.... especially when he has done everything for them to be reconciled...

If this is the crime of being an Evangelical then I am guilty as charged....

Glad to be !

Musings from an Ambulance

On Saturday my precious wife Nicky had what we thought at first was a heart attack. Even now we still don't know what really happened. However for 15- 20 minutes the prospect of widowhood hit me like a steam train. Rapidly I posted on Facebook and texted to get people praying. Meanwhile I was praying and the journey to hospital was filled with thoughts and theological reflections.

It is not only in Church or daily life that you need rock solid theological foundations, you do. But when the proverbial hits the fan then you need the rock that is the knowledge of God to get you through lifes storm.

I tried to write my thoughts in my journal today and share them with you now.

1 As far as I can remember all my married life I've told Nicky daily I loved her. H At that moment in the ambulance I realized that once a day was nowhere enough. In the back of an ambulance what is important comes sharply into focus. Telling your wife you love her is vital to life because you can never tell her enough. In fact obeying Jesus and his command in Ephesians 5:22-25 to love ypur wife as Christ loves the church comes sharply into focus. So husbands tell your wife daily and regularly how much you love her.

2. I realised that there are possibly a thousand things weve never done together that I always wanted to do. For me it was learning to dance the tango together and to visit Corsica. I was regretting hours spent in fruitless meetings when Icould have spent hours just with her. The thought of never praying with her again or holding her in my arms or watching her sleeping filled my mind with loneliness and despair. Note to self make sure I diary in to do these things....

3. Thirdly I need to make a will, learn how the washing machine works where all the financial stuff is. Nicky runs the show at home if I lost her I'd be stuffed. Note to self you never know when the time comes so be ready for it...... You don't get a trial run at death.

4. Fourthly I was glad that I'm a Calvinist. I treasure the sovereignty of god and knew that this incident has his hand apon it. It is his hand that was pushing the inside of my wifes chest cavity and I knew that that hand is a good hand. The arms in which she lays are his, and I know that if she passes into death it is from his hand to his arms that she will pass. Our lives are in His hands but our fuure is the everlasting arms. From the moment I met this beautiful women I have always played second fiddle to the true man in her life. Jesus has always been the first and foremost in her life and he will one day greet this treasure that he has loaned me and He will claim her for his own. So that whatever befalls her the loving bridegroom holds her, and his saving power will keep her in life and in death.

5 I thanked him too that my Calvinism meant that I knew there was sovereign grace for me for the future. I believe in future Grace......... surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. A high view of scripture keeps you from madness in times like these. Here I was facing my greatest earthly fear and his peace and grace were there in the ambulance. This incident on a Saturday afternoon taught me that the promises of 1 Corinthians 15 are true When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
I was powerless to do something about this but I knew we were held.

6 As I worshipped the LORD in my heart I was glad that I believed in a Gospel of healing as well as a Gospel of grace. The outcome of this incident was neither mine nor the doctors but His and I knew that whatever the outcome he would have the glory.

7 I thanked god for the NHS and the paramedics and the skill of the doctors.