The "New" Calvinism #33

According to the media, "New Calvinism is sweeping the younger generation of Christians" and claims "it's movement has young believers going back to the roots - namely, to scripture and the sovereignty of God" (See New Calvinism). So just exactly what is New Calvinism, and how is it any different from Old Calvinism?  

For those who are new to my blog,  let me make it perfectly clear: there are many who call themselves Calvinists and  I believe many of them are born again believers who are saved by the grace of God. They have placed their faith in Christ, and Christ alone for their salvation. Regardless of what they call themselves, I praise God for their redemption.

Anyone who has read this blog on a consistent basis knows that I love Calvinists, and more importantly, I believe that - God loves Calvinists - because Calvinists are people. (Please read blog #26). On the other hand, I despise Calvin-ism, because Calvinism teaches that God is an arbitrary autocrat who arranged the fall of human beings and then sends many of them to eternal punishment for being and doing precisely what He predestined them to be and do, beings whose sole purpose for existence  is, as Calvin put it, "to glorify God by their destruction".  The good news is that the god of Calvinism does not exist. The bad news, or sad news, is that so many people (Calvinists) believe in and worship this god.

There are many "off shoots" or "splinter groups" within the world of Calvinism. When speaking with someone about their Calvinist beliefs, it is extremely important to find out what "version" of Calvinism they believe in. For example, there are John Calvin Calvinists and Andrew Fuller Calvinists; Arthur W. Pink Calvinists; James White Calvinists; Loraine Boetner Calvinists; R.C. Sproul Calvinists; John Piper Calvinists; Mark Driscoll Calvinists; Albert Mohler Calvinists; Vincent Cheung Calvinists; Westboro Baptist Calvinists; Presbyterian Calvinists; Baptist Calvinists;  furthermore, there are Extreme and Moderate Calvinists; Hyper and Hypo Calvinists; Hard and Soft Calvinists; Hard Determinists and Soft Determinists; 5 point Calvinists; 4 pointers; 3 pointers; 2 pointers; and so on.

And now we have "New Calvinists". After doing some research on this "new" movement, it appears to me that New Calvinism is just another Calvinist name that some call Mohlerism (named after Dr. Mohler).  Dr. Albert Mohler is the ninth president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The appointment of Dr. Mohler to the office of president marked a significant shift to  return the seminary to conservative biblical theology, which I applaud. In fact, I respect Dr. Mohler and his work; however, Dr. Mohler is also a Calvinist, and it is his Calvinist teachings that I disagree with.

So, what is "New" Calvinism? As mentioned above, New Calvinism is  Dr. Mohler's version of Calvinism.  It is a strategic attempt to disarm critics of Calvinism into believing that this New Calvinism is not like the Calvinism of old. However, once you get past the marketing and really examine what New Calvinism teaches, you will find that there is nothing really new at all, except for the way they present (or disguise) their belief system.

My question for the "New" Calvinist, is, if Calvinism is really true, then why change?  Calvinists, like Mohler, understand the real threat to Calvinism is John Calvin and its historic Calvinist teachings; thus, by calling it "new", it gives the impression that "it's different", "it's better", and "it's improved". But this is nothing more than a marketing trick aimed at Christians (especially college students) who are constantly being targeted by Calvinists.  Calvinists, or should I say "New" Calvinists are trying to distance themselves from their founder John Calvin (a known murderer who had many erouneous beliefs) and make it more appealing by calling it new. The strategy is no different than what the Mormon Church did when they renamed their church the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and also distanced the church from it's founder Joseph Smith (See Mormon Church Name Change).

New Calvinism's marketing plan is nothing more than a  ploy to deceive unsuspecting Christians into believing that Calvinism "now" lines up with biblical Christianity. It's spin doctors are men like Dr. Albert Mohler, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, and the list goes on and on. Don't be fooled, New Calvinism is still Calvinism. It doesn't matter how you spin it - or what you call it - it's the same man-made philosophical system built on the foundations of dead men, such as, John Calvin & St. Augustine, instead of the living and infallable word of God - The Bible.