I find myself growing more theologically “Reformed” day by day. Some might call it Calvinist. I’m choosing to call myself “Reformed” because the cultural connotations of that term tend to be more holistic than those associated with the word “Calvinist”–and I’d rather not be known merely as a believer in predestination. So I’m claiming the “Reformed” brand.
But I’m acutely aware of the perception many believers have of Reformed thinkers as being judgmental, supercilious, and argumentative.
One evangelical sent a letter to Scot McKnight, asking his advice on how to deal with what he termed “hypercalvinists”:
They always use the same language and have the same condescending attitude toward everyone else….The problem is that they just are relentless. Absolutely no discussion or compromise. I have had the life kicked out of me at my church this past year by some of these people.
More impressions of reformed individuals come up in the comments.
Eddie says:
To be ‘Reformed’ involves making strong judgements [sic] about the soundness…of everything from books, to Bible translations and on to people.
Tim Gombis states:
They’re not going to converse with you but they will try to rhetorically manipulate you into the position of a heretic so that they can dismiss you with a rhetorical blast.
Julie says:
My experience with all sorts of Calvinists…is that right theology is the cornerstone of what constitutes pure/true faith, exhorting Christians to hold “correct” doctrine is the important work of the committed believer, and conflict/debate over doctrine is the most energizing, enlivening source of relationship.
Again, Julie writes:
The culture of the reformed crowd takes great pleasure and pride in having precisely thought out theological positions that give them deep satisfaction ….They wish to “share” this perspective, but they do so from the point of view of being right-er than the rest….The culture encourages intellectualism and apologetics of the systematic theological kind.
I sympathize with these individuals who have been hurt and offended by people who termed themselves “Reformed”. And I certainly don’t want to be condescending, relentless, uncompromising, judgmental, manipulative, dismissive, or critical.
At the same time, even apart from my quickly reforming doctrine, I am the person described above:
- I am interested in the theological and doctrinal soundness of books, Bible translations, and people.
- I do think that “right theology” is central to true faith (since “right theology” means simply right views of God)
- I do think that believers should exhort one another to hold to correct doctrine.
- I do consider conflict and debate over doctrine to be an incredible energizing and enlivening source of relationship.
- I do take a great deal of pleasure in having precisely thought out theological positions
- I do want to “share” my theological positions with others.
- I do have a great appreciation for intellectualism.
Even apart from my theology (which really doesn’t seem to enter the conversation at all), I am what many of these commentors hate: I am an ambiguity-disliking, truth-affirming, intellectually-focused, debate-loving person.
In many ways, these traits are simply a part of my personality. Even if I were not Reformed/Calvinist, I would still be these things. In fact, five years ago, prior to my gradual conversion to Reformed thought, I was all of these things. It wasn’t Reformed thought that made me this way–I was this way already.
Of course, my newly Reformed thinking gives me a bit of perspective about these aspects of my personality. Reformed thinking, after all, says that I am totally depraved–that every part of me, including the personality traits that God originally pronounced “good” in the garden, is completely twisted as a result of the fall. I am totally depraved–incapable of good.
Yet somehow by the grace of God, completely apart from any merit of my own (for I had none), God chose me. He called me according to His purpose, He foreknew me, He predestined me to be conformed to the image of His Son. Having chosen me, He is in the process of taking every depraved part of me, including my personality, and overhauling so that it reflects Christ.
I am a critical Calvinist, depraved.
I am a critical Calvinist, being conformed.
Please be patient, God’s still not finished with me.
But I trust God will conform me day by day into His image–not of a critical Calvinist, but a Christlike Christian.