Why is there a Resurgence of Reformed Theology?

I heartily agree.

The Archangel

 

On The Other Hand

"I am a five-point Calvinist and all of the points are sharp!" Ian Paisley

 

Well said brother....a splendid & balanced response

 

me wonders if the poster will remember this post the next time he tries to mislead others by pulling Spurgeon's words out of context, hope other would think he was not a Calvinist.

Yet...Spurgeon says it here and many other places.

We believe in the five great points commonly known as Calvinistic;

My guess is that he will not.

 

Yea, but lets be Christians & not stoop to ....well you know what I am saying. Lets show all decorum & love dear brother. sometimes thats my stumbling block. They will know we are Christians by our love.

 

This wasn't an insult to Calvinism, but to the people who accept it because its "new and different" and doesn't require them to really think beyond learning the 5 points.

Some of ya'll need to take a step back from the BB and look at the real world around you and quit finding things to take offense at. You think other theological views don't have similar problems? Really, when it was IFB's preaching the sins of dancing and tobacco, they had similar problems. People like having a list of rules to follow. Structure. Eventually, they get tired of it, because it is human nature to look for something "better" and they begin to revolt.

Right now, very few here on the BB will say that dancing and tobacco are "sins". A few years from now, you Calvinists(or more likely your children and grandchildren) are going to wonder what you were thinking and the pendulum will swing back the other direction. Only they will likely view dancing and tobacco as no-nos again (or some other insignificant sin). This is human history. We are destined to repeat ourselves over and over. Nothing is new under the sun.

 

Your correct....there is nothing new under the sun....however we would like to hope & believe that there are constants as well. Allot of folks fought & died so that Reformed Theology could come into the world & challange the Roman Catholics with a well Reformed Worship & Glorification of our Good Lord. I should not want to see that effort diminished & trampled on & disrespected. I believe that every Reformed individual here would also want to show respect for your theology. We all have to remember that we are Christians & that we are all commanded by our Lord to love one another. Im done with this thread.

God bless all in here.

 

I think that the reformed doctrine surges from time to time because of the laziness of some Christians to read the whole Word of God. They read the parts that seem easiest to agree with when it seems to be the fad or is popular.

Others, see it as a cash cow for their books and tapes and if the truth be known none of it is original in thought.

Calvinism is not original, for centuries before man was ignoring and massaging scripture so that it seems to say what they want it to say.

The same can be said about Armenian-ism.

Fortunately, I do not think that either is so heretical that it condemns the followers to Hell.

God is still totally sovereign. God owes nothing to man but He gave man His word and God will abide by His word. (If God does not abide by His Word, we are wasting soooo much time) God's sovereignty is total but by His own Word He gave man free will to choose because He made man in His own image. God abides within His Word and expects all who choose Him to do so as well. (knowing that this is impossible to do but not impossible to seek). God is willing that all men choose to repent, but God gave men free will and some will resist the Holy Spirit. Those who choose not to resist, then become the elect who's adoption, justification and glorification is predestined by God.

I say this with all love towards my brethren (sisters included)

 

Dr. Chuck Missler says that the truth is the river which flows between the opposite shores of Calvinism and Arminianism.

 

Well I just cannot go without putting my two cents worth.

1. The proverbial "pendulum swing" principle is in effect.

Like many things in our world, "theological" preferences swing from side to side. Much like elections, democrat---republican etc. As to why this is, well that is a question for philosophers to tackle. But then again, philosophy is the "handmaiden of theology".

2. Most "respected" theologies are "logical", however, "reformed theology" leans much more heavily to the deductive side of logic (Moving from "complex to the simple). Whereas, other theologies may be more "inductive" in nature. (Moving from the specific to the general.

As a rule, most find deductive logic more appealing because it is more simple.

3. My guess also is the statistics related to the positions of academicians at seminaries also has an impact.

BTW, could not bring myself to vote for any of the options in the survey list.

 

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

It isn't so much a 'resurgence' as it is a spot light being placed on it once more. It has always been around and has always had about the same foot hold it does now... though I will say it is gaining more notoriety, especially due to the web, and gaining more adherents.

This is not to distract nor detract from the fact others are believing it, nor that it is growing.. please don't misunderstand me. However it is more like a cycle of views that come and go like the tide. Believe that the reformed view came into prominence when theology began to grow more and more corrupt and one sided, just as the Arminian view came into prominence when the Reformed view became more and more corrupt and one sided. Both are extremes and neither is fully correct. I praise God that he has allowed me to share scripture with many who were like myself, moving toward a reformed view, but through researching the scriptures came to see where it was bibically incorrect (though acknowledging those place it was correct). Due to this fact, they, like myself, came to reject it as a system of belief.

What is most interesting is that very question could have also been asked back in the days of the reformers about the Arminian position.. though it I HIGHLY doubt any of the reformed members here would state it was light shining into the darkness, nor that God Himself desired His people to know and believe contrary to some of the views of the reformed position. (though I do know a few on here who will state this.. most will not).

Anyway, just my two cents.

 

Amen Brother :godisgood:

I would have to respectfully disagree with your assessment that only those wishing to be intellectuals become calvinist, Most calvinist I know do not fit that description at all, nor do they come across as a pharisee. Maybe we run in different circles though...

I would also beg to differ on the comment about "leaving little room for humility", I believe the opposite is correct, true saving faith brought about by a Sovereign God leaves no room for any pride or boasting on my part, I can not boast, revel or take pride in what I did not do.


Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Bill J.

 

Yes & thats about all its worth in value too.

 

I agree with most of this. Because of the web, many are calling this the 2nd reformation. The 1st reformation had the printing press.

There is talk of a major resurgence in this nation, but the numbers do not show this from the churches. What has happened is, LEADERS, and or writers are now writing on it more than they have before. Calvinism is being talked about in just about every church. 50 years ago, most would not touch the word.

Time will tell if all the talk and all the writing will translate into more people believing in Calvinism. I don't have the report with me, but more than one poll shows that church members have remained about the same as 50 years ago. If I recall, it was like 5% rise or something like that, which is hardly anything to get excited about.

But, because it is the leaders of the churches that have fallen in love with it, in time it should change the members views. Again, we shall see.

I however do feel like it maybe a 2nd reformation. The numbers are not shown in churches in this nation ...NOT YET anyway....but world wide is another story. World wide Calvinism has doubled or even more. The stats I saw are 2 years old.

Christian Reformed World Missions says...

“There is an explosion of church planting going on in India” I think they say something like 500 churches in the last 10 years.

Check out this link....

http://backtogod.net/

ARBCA gives like reports...

3rd Mill...another Reformed mission group says there is nothing like it in the history of the church.

So, there does seem to be growth, but not as much in this nation. But, that should follow soon. We shall see.

 

Preacher4truth: Your experience is similar to many of us involved in the "Reformed Resurgence". I was the most fire-breathing IFB you ever would meet for years. But as it was with you, the "shallow" theology eventually left me hollow. The gaps in Bible Study, the reliance on "mystery" and "paradox" for explaining passages on predestination, and so on.

But I would caution you to consider the value of your fundamentalist experience: you were taught that the Bible is the source of light and truth, and that you must study it vigorously to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Thank God for your IFB experience, and pray that God will open more inroads among our fundamental brethren for the truth of God's sovereignty.