Why is Calvinism surging?

Martin,

Great question! :thumbs: It's clearly a return to biblical truths, expounding the doctrines of grace. However, I would love to see a balance in our worship. We tend to be too wooden. What's wrong with lifting the hands in praise to God and so on?

 

1. I no Piper is trying to address the worship issue.

[1. The influence of people like John MacArthur, RC Sproul, D James Kennedy, John Piper, and Al Mohler.

2. The influence of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

3. A new focus on people like Spurgeon and church history.

4. A moving away from tradition to Scripture as the rule of faith. In this sense, the surge in Calvinism is a direct result of the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.

5. A new bread of seminary students who wish to look at these issues through a new set of glasses.[/QUOTE]

2. I think your list is good, except I don't hear Baptists pastor talk about the late Kennedy as a theological influence. I would add Steven J. Lawson there.

3. I thought you might add church history there---that is so overwhelming. One just have to consider the heavy-hitters.

4. BTW, do you know that Harvard and Yale were established to train ministers in expounding the doctrines of grace?

4. The SBC is not going to split. The likes of Al Mohler and Southern seminary, I think, play a crucial role.

 

The OP is based on the presupposition that it is a fact. Where are the sources confiming this fact?

This would be like me starting a poll asking why calvinism is on the decline, with not factual evidence supporting it (and polls are not facts, as they are very subjective and flawed)

 

To name a few...

.

http://www.baptistcourier.com/2158.article

http://answereveryone.com/?p=9

http://www.topix.com/metro/jackson-tn/2007/12/calvinism-rise-mixed-blessing-in-baptist-life

http://unashamedworkman.wordpress.com/2007/08/12/dever-on-calvinist-rise-entire-series/

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/calvinism-onthe-march.html

http://www.christianpost.com/articl...ptists_Debate_Calvinism,_Urge_Cooperation.htm

 

If anything, those articles prove my point. It's subjective, not factual. While it could seem that way, there really is no way of gauging if it is true.

 

Look...

It is not my goal to debate if this be true or not. I really do not care if you believe it or not.

The fact is...many do believe it is the case. I for one agree. You can read those links or not...no big deal. Its not the 1st time you chose to keep your head in the sand.

Is Calvinism in the majority? No...and it may never be. But it is on the rise...flat on....nothing you can do about it but cry and make others think is is not so.

As to the reason....

I think it has much to do with the seeker movement and waterdown peaching found in this movement. Many people are sick of it..and long for doctrine not this other stuff.

 

I believe it is part of the apostasy creeping into churches today. I left a Calvinistic church years ago after a terrible experience that was not backed by Scripture. Today, I thank the Lord that my SBC pastor is not a Calvinist. In fact, he just gave a sermon refuting it with Scripture several weeks ago. I do not wish to debate with anyone. I am sharing my belief with my answer to the poll.

 

Within the SBC...

1) The conservative resurgence (alliance between conservative non-Calvinists and Calvinists,who are almost uniformly conservative, if they are true Calvinists)

2) After the liberals and moderates were chased off, the SBC's percentage of Calvinist leaders increased, even without gaining a single new Calvinist. Why? Hardly anyone who is a liberal is a five or four point Calvinst.

3) These Calvinists enjoyed a new position of prominence, and began to take positions of leadership. (Such as Al Mohler)

4) SBTS under Mohler's leadership. Once Mohler actually began enforcing the Abstract of Principles...BAM....100% Calvinist faculty.

5) When the flagship seminary of the SBC has a distinctly Calvinist flavor, Calvinism will undoubtedly bleed over. This is not to say that everyone will become a Calvinist, but it's much more likely when the professors are not hostile to Calvinism. It's even more likely when they are Calvinists themselves. Also, new PhDs from SBTS will be in demand at the other seminaries. Faculty/Administration may end up in other seminaries as well (e.g. Dr. Akin at SEBTS).

In general, though, I think that Calvinism is on the rise partly because it is edgy and gritty. No one can say that the system of Calvinism espouses a weak God. It's far preferable to the weak semi-Pelagianism (or even full-blown Pelagianism) in the pews. I'm not a Calvinist, but I know that the people in the pews may have a healthy view of Scripture even as their soteriology is in the ICU on life support.

Also, popular influences such as Macarthur and Piper come into play.

 

In one breath you say you don't want to debate if it's true or not...but if I don't believe it to be true I have my head in the sand. Yeah....whatever.

So it is fact, then, and not what you believe? You speak out of both sides of your mouth, James, and are quite arrogant.

This very well may be the case, but calvinism doesn't hold the patent on non watered down preaching...

Bingo. Monkey see, monkey do, and the whole "all of these great preachers can't possibly be wrong" mentality that goes along with it.

 

"These things come and go" is my answer.

In a few years (probably 20 - 40) a new generation of guys will start questioning some of the assumptions that are being made by today's calvinist leaders. They will re-think issues and come to some non-calvinistic conclusions. As surely as night follows day, it will happen....

 

The fact that it is on the rise is undeniable.
just what the percentages are I am not sure and the polls are never completely accurate.

Web, you can say it is wrong but where are your 5 or 6 articles?
Shoe us a few studies that show it is on the decline?

What it seems to me is the inconsistent middle of the fence position taken by so many baptists for the past 100 years is going away.
People seem to be either going for the full blown seeker movement or they are restudying and realizing that we need a reformation once again.


Oh, in case no one figured out, I voted that it is a return to Biblical theology!

 

No doubt, these varied "theological pendelum swings", over the years, were predestined to occur!

Entirely by choice!

Ed

 

Although, I am not a Calvinist, I think it is a return to what they see as a Biblical doctrine. This is not an argument between Biblical Christianity and Mormonism. This is - well, ought to be - a disagreement among people who have many more agreements than disagreements.

 

Our Lord prayed that we would be "sanctified" in the truth and "thy word is truth". Believers yearn for biblically based preaching/teaching that will sanctify them in God's Word. It stirs their spirits and refreshes their minds. It strengthens their relationships with God and each other. It empowers them for mission and ministry.

I remember going to a Sunday School class where we were studying Eph. 1. When the teacher got to "He chose you in Himself before the foundation of the world" and "He predistined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will", he looked right at us and said, "that doesn't mean God predistined us to salvation". I thought, what!? The teacher just said that the Bible doesn't mean what it says.

Yes, Jarthur, you are correct. They are sick of "preaching" and "teaching" that really isn't preaching or teaching the bible. They long for the deep things of God that are found in His Word.

peace to youraying:

 

I was unaware that "articles" were ironclad proof.

 

Evidence beats a lack of evidence every day.

 

True, but those articles are nothing more than one author's viewpoint, and opinions based on flawed information. I don't consider opinion to be "evidence".

 

The Lifeway survey is instructive, though.