Young, Restless, Reformed

Christanity Today’s recent article on Calvinism, “Young Restless and Reformed”, has been released on the website. Here it is.

It’s a great little window into the growing culture of Calvinism, particularly amongst the Southern Baptists where the issue is causing a bit of a stir. Personally, I take great pleasure in being counted amongst those that are Young, Restless and Reformed.

Those fearing a new pitched battle can rest easy. That’s not because the debate will go away—for the foreseeable future, the spread of Calvinism will force many evangelicals to pick sides. And it’s not because mission will trump doctrine—young people seem to reject this dichotomy.

It’s because the young Calvinists value theological systems far less than God and his Word. Whatever the cultural factors, many Calvinist converts respond to hallmark passages like Romans 9 and Ephesians 1. “I really don’t like to raise any banner of Calvinism or Reformed theology,” said Eric Lonergan, a 23-year-old University of Minnesota graduate. “Those are just terms. I just like to look at the Word and let it speak for itself.”

That’s the essence of what Joshua Harris calls “humble orthodoxy.” He reluctantly debates doctrine, but he passionately studies Scripture and seeks to apply all its truth.

“If you really understand Reformed theology, we should all just sit around shaking our heads going, ‘It’s unbelievable. Why would God choose any of us?'” Harris said. “You are so amazed by grace, you’re not picking a fight with anyone, you’re just crying tears of amazement that should lead to a heart for lost people, that God does indeed save, when he doesn’t have to save anybody.”

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  1. guided_by_grace

    I too take great pleasure in being counted among that group (well, I suppose minus the “young”), as well as adding the SBC “label” to it. I thing Baptists have far too poor a reputation among theologians. Hopefully that tide is turning.

    1. David Ould

      amen on the young thing. At 32 I find myself increasingly doing “old man” things.

      Perhaps submitting to the Doctrines of Grace is a sign of an older, wiser, maturity? ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. curly

    i’m just glad to see people searching out the scriptures for themselves, and coming to a conclusion. that’s what we’ll answer for: did we search the Word, and become convinced by it for ourselves?

    personally, i’m glad to be young (31 is still young!), restless, and neither calvanist nor armenianist. in my study, the word contradicts points of both. but, i am fully convinced that though i cannot fully reconcile the idea of God’s sovreignty and man’s responsibility in salvation – God reconciles it. and that’s enough for me. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. David Ould

      thanks for that.

      I’m thoroughly convinced now that nothing in scripture contradicts the Calvinist position. Are there any particular texts that you have in mind?

      btw, It’s Armininan. Armenia is a former republic of the USSR ๐Ÿ˜‰

      1. Anonymous

        Of course nothing in scripture contradicts calvinism. A lot of scripture contradicts arminianism though.

        kletois

  3. detroitfather

    Well, when I was young, my wife and I briefly performed music as the Fine Young Calvinists!

    *searches for pictorial evidence*

    I was young and Calvinistic before it was hip to be so!

    1. guided_by_grace

      my wife and I briefly performed music as the Fine Young Calvinists!

      Are you serious? You are… like… MY HERO!!!! =D

      1. detroitfather

        It’s true. We only played some amateur “Open Mic Nights” and such.

        I can’t find anywhere that I have stored one of our flyers (which had the name Fine Young Calvinists on it), but here is a scratchy old B&W photo we used:

        1. guided_by_grace

          That’s great! Did you have to explain your name often?

          btw, adding you back. ๐Ÿ™‚

          1. detroitfather

            I was hoping that people would ask about it, and that I’d get to explain it … but that never happened.

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