Total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, preservation of the saints, these are the principals Christian Calvinism was first founded on and are seeing a pretty dramatic return in recent times. Even Time magazine has taken notice, publishing an article entitled "The New Calvinism" in March of 2009, ranking it one of the "10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now" and ever since, the Reformed church has seen a surge of publicity.
About 500 years ago, John Calvin's teachings, along with those of his fellow second generation Reformed theologian colleagues, began to carry weight in the regions around them. Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, quickly became one of the most influential theologies of the era, and the movement not only reconceived Christianity as it was, but arguably gave birth to Western ideas about capitalism, democracy, and religious liberty, nursing the Puritan values the began to define America's character.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, "Today, his theology is making a surprising comeback, challenging the me-centered prosperity gospel of much modern evangelicalism with a God-first immersion in Scripture. In an age of materialism and made-to-order religion, Calvinism's unmalleable doctrines and view of God as an all-powerful potentate who decides everything is winning over many Christians - especially the young."
(John Piper speaks on Calvinism and Scripture)
So called New Calvinists look to Puritans like Jonathan Edwards as their examples and generally identify four main differences between the old and the new.
1. New Calvinism is missional and seeks to create and redeem culture.
2. New Calvinism is flooding into cities.
3. Old Calvinism was generally cessationist (believing gifts of the Holy Spirit like tongues and prophecy had ceased) while New Calvinism is generally continuationist.
4. New Calvinism is open to dialog with other Christian positions.
(According to Mark Driscoll, Reformed pastor in Seattle)
Despite these changes, it would seem that by common logic, the stern system of Calvinism oughtn't be popular today especially with much of modern Christianity preaches self-fulfillment through Christian commitment, attracting attendees in droves and a strict following of the Bible, embraced by Calvinists, hardly resonating in society the way it once did. But as Gerald Bray, professor at Beeson Divinity School says, "Like it or not, he [Calvin] is one of the great minds that shaped out modern world." And it would seem he is continuing to do so.
I learned so much reading this. I had no idea that New Calvinism was growing! Do you think the separation between that denomination and some others will blur?
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating idea of looking at Calvinism in the beginning of America and using that to make sense of a growing, contemporary trend. That and John Piper is always interesting to listen to.
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