Time magazine has named the New Calvinism as one of the 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now. That is simply astounding! The author is not entirely accurate in his description of the Old/New Calvinism but we'll take what we can get, right? Mark Driscoll has been all over this declaration by Time and has posted some good stuff on it such as this.
The author draws our attention to a decisive position when he states, Like the Calvinists, more moderate Evangelicals are exploring cures for the movement's doctrinal drift, but can't offer the same blanket assurance. "A lot of young people grew up in a culture of brokenness, divorce, drugs or sexual temptation," says Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists. "They have plenty of friends: what they need is a God." Mohler says, "The moment someone begins to define God's [being or actions] biblically, that person is drawn to conclusions that are traditionally classified as Calvinist." Of course, that presumption of inevitability has drawn accusations of arrogance and divisiveness since Calvin's time. Indeed, some of today's enthusiasts imply that non-Calvinists may actually not be Christians. Skirmishes among the Southern Baptists (who have a competing non-Calvinist camp) and online "flame wars" bode badly. (Emphasis mine.) He's got a point. Driscoll responds by stating, Sadly, Cruel Calvinists are a small but loud bunch. Thus, now more than ever, it is vital that all Christians in general, and Reformed Christians in particular, demonstrate the kind of love and humility that our theology requires. The cruel, flame-thrown half-truths and misquotes between Christians do not speak well to the watching world of the love we are supposed to share. ...borders include spiritual gifts, baptism, communion, worship styles, Bible translations, sense of humor, and the like. Various states can have their own proverbial borders on these issues. Nonetheless, like states we must be able to live as a loving and unified nation. We cannot turn our state borders into national borders and refuse to live at peace in unity and love with those who live in other proverbial states. Simply, the state borders should not be battle lines where personal and theological wars are fought because bigger things are at stake, such as the evangelizing of lost people and the planting of missional churches.
So, where are you & I as Calvinists? Are we loving our fellow Christian that has a different viewpoint?
1 comment:
Hey RR,
I'm finally getting to some of these posts of yours that I starred in Reader over the past few months!
Being a non-abrasive Calvinist has been difficult for me, probably ever since becoming a Calvinist. I suspect it had at least as much to do with the fact that I was always surrounded by non-Calvinists, and generally very anti-Calvinist non-Calvinists!
I think sometimes we just need to shut our mouths. I'm not sure that the online venue is the appropriate place for arguments to change another's mind--the defenses just go up too easily. I suspect that we're better served by living as consistent Calvinists, and then being ready to answer questions from those who are actually curious, and hence amenable to differing viewpoints.
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