I became a Calvinist in the early 90s before it enjoyed wide acceptance in evangelical circles. It was a different time. American culture was still heavily influenced by Judeo-Christian values. The most prominent Christian organizations were Promise Keepers and Focus on the Family. Evangelicals were acutely concerned about the moral integrity of the new president, Bill Clinton.
Though the doctrinal tenets of Calvinism remain the same, the culture in America has dramatically shifted. In previous generations, Calvinism found acceptance in part because it addressed a widely felt pain point: a sense of guilt and shame. Today, while the church preaches sovereign grace, American culture preaches the sovereign self.
How do we preach the doctrines of grace in ways that address and take into account the new underpinnings of our culture? Next week, we have invited church leaders to explain the five points of Calvinism and their touchpoints in an increasingly secularized society.
- Gray Sutanto, associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, explains the doctrine of total depravity in an age of victimization.
- Brannon Ellis, executive editor of Modern Reformation, teaches unconditional election in an age of inclusivity.
- Justin Poythress, pastor of All Saints Presbyterian Church in Boise, Idaho, reaffirms limited atonement in an age of shamelessness.
- Michael Keller, senior pastor of Redeemer Lincoln Square, explains irresistible grace in an age of individualism.
- David Filson, interim pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, explores the perseverance of the saints in an age of anxiety.
Our hope is this series will remind readers of the primacy of God’s grace and the relevance of reformed soteriology for the modern preacher.
Andy Jones is the editor of byFaith.
Read the other articles in our Calvinism for a New Generation series here:
Perseverance in an Age of Anxiety
Irresistible Grace in an Age of Individualism
Limited Atonement in an Age of Shamelessness