Comments on: The New Calvinism http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/ This blog needs a description! Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:41:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Laurie http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84195 Laurie Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:33:25 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84195 Thank you for your responses. I clearly need to look into this further and appreciate your direction. Blessings, brothers. Thank you for your responses. I clearly need to look into this further and appreciate your direction. Blessings, brothers.

]]> By: John H. Armstrong http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84140 John H. Armstrong Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:50:12 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84140 For anyone who wants to track other responses to this same blog try my blog spot for March 31, 2009, at www.johnharmstrong.com. This post was used, with obvious permission and delight, by "The Guest Room." I am grateful to you Steve Brown readers for your thoughts and response. For anyone who wants to track other responses to this same blog try my blog spot for March 31, 2009, at http://www.johnharmstrong.com. This post was used, with obvious permission and delight, by "The Guest Room." I am grateful to you Steve Brown readers for your thoughts and response.

]]> By: John H. Armstrong http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84139 John H. Armstrong Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:47:30 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84139 Great post Laurie. You have understood "the" issues very clearly and expressed a cogent and simple response, a real gift. Anyone who would bother to read N.T. Wright will come to the same conclusion if they read him carefully. The problem is simple: the Neo-Calvinists tell people "how" to read the Bible and the followers simply do as told or believe what the "system" says. The real issue is the system itself was created to drive people to the Bible, not Calvin or Westminster. All of these human standards are helpful, exceptionally so in this case but they are "human, all too human." Thanks for this wonderful word. Great post Laurie. You have understood "the" issues very clearly and expressed a cogent and simple response, a real gift. Anyone who would bother to read N.T. Wright will come to the same conclusion if they read him carefully. The problem is simple: the Neo-Calvinists tell people "how" to read the Bible and the followers simply do as told or believe what the "system" says. The real issue is the system itself was created to drive people to the Bible, not Calvin or Westminster. All of these human standards are helpful, exceptionally so in this case but they are "human, all too human." Thanks for this wonderful word.

]]> By: ZwCephas http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84138 ZwCephas Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:39:54 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-84138 For Laurie: As I read N.T. Wright, he applies an eschatological aspect to Pauline justification that is missing in Calvinism of the sort proposed by Piper; Wright offers an exciting motivation to be involved with kingdom issues as opposed to a near-fatalism associated with traditional, i.e, Puritan Calvinism, and he does this by readin Paul sola scriptura, as opposed to reading him through the eyes of Calvinist dogma - I actually had a Neo-Calvinist tell me arrogantly that Paul was the original Calvinist, certainly standing sola scriptura on its head (imagine sola-Calvin if you can?). Piper, of course, accuses Wright of being in the "New Perspective" camp with Sanders, et al, and leaning toward Semi-Pelagianism; which when you read him, you see that he is not. For Laurie: As I read N.T. Wright, he applies an eschatological aspect to Pauline justification that is missing in Calvinism of the sort proposed by Piper; Wright offers an exciting motivation to be involved with kingdom issues as opposed to a near-fatalism associated with traditional, i.e, Puritan Calvinism, and he does this by readin Paul sola scriptura, as opposed to reading him through the eyes of Calvinist dogma - I actually had a Neo-Calvinist tell me arrogantly that Paul was the original Calvinist, certainly standing sola scriptura on its head (imagine sola-Calvin if you can?). Piper, of course, accuses Wright of being in the "New Perspective" camp with Sanders, et al, and leaning toward Semi-Pelagianism; which when you read him, you see that he is not.

]]> By: Ken http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83259 Ken Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:20:14 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83259 Is the Steve Brown tulip chat online somewhere? Is the Steve Brown tulip chat online somewhere?

]]> By: Hurk http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83144 Hurk Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:58:14 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83144 This is one of the most thoughtful pieces I have ever read on this site. Amazing insight. I love the scriptural truths that the reformed movement stands for and would consider myself a calvinist. I have always felt like there were two types of calvinist/reformed folk, the side that is concerned about being "right" and the side that is concerned about belonging to Jesus. Many calvinists are waiting for the opportunity to tell you how right they are and how wrong you are. I know because that was me. I spent almost over 10 years needing to be "right" all of the time. It fed my ego, knowing that I had the right answers. But it was also exhausting. Jesus didn't die to make me a prick. I still believe the same truths of the faith (mostly), but I have learned to love others a whole bunch more. Steve's ministry has helped so much. I fight against my jerkish calvinistic tendancies almost every day, and probably will until I die. One last thing...Armstrong's quote at the end of this piece is so on-target, it makes my toes tingle: "Neo-Calvinism goes wrong precisely because in trying to find a God who is not too small, a truly worthy goal, it creates a church that is too small." Wow. This is one of the most thoughtful pieces I have ever read on this site. Amazing insight.

I love the scriptural truths that the reformed movement stands for and would consider myself a calvinist. I have always felt like there were two types of calvinist/reformed folk, the side that is concerned about being "right" and the side that is concerned about belonging to Jesus. Many calvinists are waiting for the opportunity to tell you how right they are and how wrong you are. I know because that was me. I spent almost over 10 years needing to be "right" all of the time. It fed my ego, knowing that I had the right answers. But it was also exhausting. Jesus didn't die to make me a prick. I still believe the same truths of the faith (mostly), but I have learned to love others a whole bunch more. Steve's ministry has helped so much. I fight against my jerkish calvinistic tendancies almost every day, and probably will until I die.

One last thing…Armstrong's quote at the end of this piece is so on-target, it makes my toes tingle:

"Neo-Calvinism goes wrong precisely because in trying to find a God who is not too small, a truly worthy goal, it creates a church that is too small."

Wow.

]]> By: Laurie http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83140 Laurie Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:29:45 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83140 I've not read this work of Piper's but am curious as to what this view of justification is which N.T. Wright takes issue with. Would it be possible for someone to give me a nutshell version of the discussion to tide me over until I can research it more fully. I've not read this work of Piper's but am curious as to what this view of justification is which N.T. Wright takes issue with. Would it be possible for someone to give me a nutshell version of the discussion to tide me over until I can research it more fully.

]]> By: Obed http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83138 Obed Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:10:13 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83138 er, that should say "I haven't found it" er, that should say "I haven't found it"

]]> By: Obed http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83137 Obed Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:09:33 +0000 http://stevebrownetc.com/blogs/the-guest-room/the-new-calvinism/#comment-83137 I remember a couple years back Steve Brown explaining TULIP on Key Life. It was a very balanced and from my understanding biblical take on Calvinism. I find myself defending classical Calvinism because of that, even though I'm not a Calvinist. On the other hand, I've read and heard a lot of extremist Calvinism in recent years, too. As far as the ESV Study Bible goes, I've got a copy and love it. While it's definitely conservative and evangelical, I have found it to really be Calvinistic. Maybe slightly leaning toward reformed theology. But that's a very slight "slightly." I remember a couple years back Steve Brown explaining TULIP on Key Life. It was a very balanced and from my understanding biblical take on Calvinism. I find myself defending classical Calvinism because of that, even though I'm not a Calvinist. On the other hand, I've read and heard a lot of extremist Calvinism in recent years, too.

As far as the ESV Study Bible goes, I've got a copy and love it. While it's definitely conservative and evangelical, I have found it to really be Calvinistic. Maybe slightly leaning toward reformed theology. But that's a very slight "slightly."

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