Christian faith: Calvinism is back

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Twenty-something followers in the Presbyterian, Anglican, and independent evangelical churches are rallying around Calvinist, or Reformed, teaching. In the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant body, at least 10 percent of its pastors identify as Calvinist, while more than one-third of recent seminary graduates do.
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New Calvinism draws legions to the sermons of preachers like John Piper of the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Here at CHBC, the pews and even rooms in the basement are filled each Sunday, mostly with young professionals. Since senior pastor Mark Dever brought Calvinist preaching here 16 years ago, the church has grown sevenfold. Today it is bursting at the stained-glass windows.
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Yet the movement’s biggest impact may not be in the pews. It’s in publishing circles and on Christian blogs, in divinity schools and at conferences like “Together for the Gospel,” where the rock stars of Reformed theology explore such topics as “The Sinner Neither Able Nor Willing: The Doctrine of Absolute Inability.”
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“There is a very clear resurgence of Calvinism,” says Steven Lemke, provost and a professor at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
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csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0327/Christian-faith-Calvinism-is-back

This is eye-opening news to me. Calvinism always struck me as … well, as contrary to Christ. I’m amazed that many people would find it appealing in our modern age.
 
Many years ago a great Baptist preacher said somethink like “Calvinism is just a nickname for Biblical truth”, Many years of experence have lead me to believe that he was right

theoldman
 
TriuneUnity said:
How do you feel that it is contrary to Christ?
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I’m sorry if I gave offense when I made the comment. Obviously, Christian churches which follow the teachings or spirit of Calvinism are Christian. My earlier comment was stated poorly.

But I think that Calvinism is very dark and posits a God unlike the Father Jesus talked about. I think it misses Christ’s message of hope, love and salvation. However, its an opinion which I can’t defend by argument - its just my sense.
 
Calvinism is false at its root. If you study Judaism which is the basis for Christianity you discover the absolute understanding of Free will. Calvinism is opposed to free will. God is not the author of evil and he does not pre-destine anyone to hell. It is just a systematic theology developed by intellectuals. I wouldn’t base my eternal salvation on the theology of a couple of fallen away catholics. (Calvin and Luther, yes they were catholic). Catholicism is the true faith from jesus and the apostles. Amen
 
peeteyg said:
I wouldn’t base my eternal salvation on the theology of a couple of fallen away catholics. (Calvin and Luther, yes they were catholic). Catholicism is the true faith from jesus and the apostles.
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This is a Catholic site, and I expect to read Catholic views. What you say is certainly in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church. However, many people here will disagree with what you say. 😉

I didn’t mention this earlier, but I respect the views of Calvinists. Although I don’t agree with its beliefs, I do honor faith which is honestly believed and lived, and I think this is true of many Christians (and non-Christians.)
 
Calvinism is back, but Catholicism never left ! I do respect anyone who believes in jesus and god. I also think that many faiths and religions contain some of the truth, it is inevitable. Even the demons believe and tremble. I think that the Catholic Church contains the fullness of truth and is the church started by Jesus. Many Protestants look at the history of the church and say it fell into apostasy or has lost its faith. All roads point toward the Catholic church and Rome and the Chair of Peter. Google “the Protestant Inquisition”. For 16 centuries the only christians in the world were catholic. Two fallen away Catholics (Apostate- look it up) started the Protestant Reformation and has spawned thousands of christian churches (not a bad thing necessarily) but not containing the fullness of truth. I welcome any disagreement, as I want everyone to be exposed to truth. The other day a co-worker of mine said I was a Zealot, and I have to agree with her I think I am going to go from being peeteyg to being Peter the Zealot. I am Zealous for my faith and for God and his word. Peter The Zealot !!!
 
Everyone should go to Youtube.com and watch Alex Jones conversion story. It is very moving during this Easter season and time of conversion.
 
Dale_M said:
I’m sorry if I gave offense when I made the comment. Obviously, Christian churches which follow the teachings or spirit of Calvinism are Christian. My earlier comment was stated poorly.

But I think that Calvinism is very dark and posits a God unlike the Father Jesus talked about. I think it misses Christ’s message of hope, love and salvation. However, its an opinion which I can’t defend by argument - its just my sense.
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None taken! I am not a Calvinist, and while I am a monergist and believe in predestination, I think Calvinism to be in error on double predestination, the extent of the atonement, and the sacraments. I just wanted you to expand on the statement. God bless, brother!
 
theoldman said:
Many years ago a great Baptist preacher said somethink like “Calvinism is just a nickname for Biblical truth”, Many years of experence have lead me to believe that he was right

theoldman
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My friend all five points of Calvinism are condemned heresy. It is contrary to everything we know about God and His infinite mercy.

Yours in Christ
Joe
 
Just when you thought it was safe to believe in free will…Calvinism…IS BACK!

Sounds like a great line for a movie trailer teaser…
 
Just do a little studying of Judaism and you will discover that they have always believed in free will, as they also reject the NT. Free will has to be consistent with the OT and NT and in Catholicism it is. Predestination as taught by Calvinists is not and is a recent creation of an Apostate Catholic, just as the apostles spoke of in the NT.
 
Dale_M said:
csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0327/Christian-faith-Calvinism-is-back

This is eye-opening news to me. Calvinism always struck me as … well, as contrary to Christ. I’m amazed that many people would find it appealing in our modern age.
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Why? Look at modern Christianity. Individualistic, materialistic and mired in relativism. Christianity and in many cases the Church, trying to attract those in the culture have become the culture. Calvinism stands on absolutes, right-wrong with a take no prisoners attitude. That is not the view of Christianity from the culture today. Today throughout
Christianity it is taught, I am ok you are ok to a me-centered culture. Calvinism comes along and rejects all of that, and more, giving people a solid foundation they do not find in other aspects of Christianity. Something that maybe missing from other aspects of Christianity.

Calvinism in one form or fashion has been around for 500 years. So it has never gone away in protestant Christianity. I believe Janianism was a form of Catholic calvinism that was condemned back in the 1600.

Calvinism can and has in the past lead to fatalism as experienced in the States prior to the first Great Awakening. This article is superficial in examining Calvinism and gets things wrong and keeps repeating the same sterotypes, good and bad. There are some aspects of calvinism that are good and should be retained. The rest should be rejected, rightly.

The survey on the SBC is flawed. The numbers are higher. Calvinistic pastors and seminary students keep their views quiet as the leadership of the SBC is on a quest to rid it of calvinism. While at New Orleans Theological Seminary I was a calvinist and knew a great many other seminarians who were and would not identify as such for fear of the reactions of the staff and SBC leadership. I know of many Associational Directors that actively sought to keep calvinist out and get rid of those who were already in. Most Calvinist to get a ministry position were quiet about it, as most search committees never ask really deep theological questions, and slowly introduced it over the years to the congregation. As Calvinistic churches such as Pipers and Devers continue to grow, write books, speaking tours etc. It will slowly regain the forefront in Baptist circles. Baptist will become particular again.😉

Fr.Mark
 
MarkBrown said:
Why? Look at modern Christianity. Individualistic, materialistic and mired in relativism. Christianity and in many cases the Church, trying to attract those in the culture have become the culture. Calvinism stands on absolutes, right-wrong with a take no prisoners attitude. That is not the view of Christianity from the culture today. Today throughout
Christianity it is taught, I am ok you are ok to a me-centered culture. Calvinism comes along and rejects all of that, and more, giving people a solid foundation they do not find in other aspects of Christianity. Something that maybe missing from other aspects of Christianity.
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I believe it was the Calvinist preacher Mark Driscoll who said he could not worship a God he could beat up.
 
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