Showing posts with label Irish Calvinist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irish Calvinist. Show all posts

Thursday, July 3, 2008

What does Light Beer and American Evangelicalism have in common?

We haven't had a good religion post lately; I was getting a little worried that we'd gone too far into the secular direction so I've thrown this one into the ring from the Irish Calvinist.

People have described some of the contemporary practices within evangelicalism as being driven by consumerism. We can see evidences of this with many of the popular devices that are employed, whether it be in the altering of vocabulary, the transition from preaching to conversations, the emphasis upon felt needs rather than spiritual needs, the polling of unbelievers as to how church should be conducted, a deemphasis upon doctrine, a redefinition of Jesus as weak and effeminate, and an idolatrous portrayal of a God who’s love is able to trump his righteousness. Regrettably, all of these things are common today.

Read the entire article here.

Considering I'm Catholic I obviously disagree with Calvinism theologically, but I do believe that if you're going to be an intelligent Protestant strict Calvinism, from the theological debates I've read, is the only way to go. Everything else falls apart ultimately.

My hunch is that the reason why Calvinism is gaining popularity in many Southern Baptist circles (and other fundamentalist Evangelical circles) is that they're trying to find some "tradition" that can intellectually combat the increasing Catholic encroachment on their turf. I think this is a great move, because it will mean that we (Evangelicals and Catholics) can really begin to have an honest dialog with real understanding of the differences.