10 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Reformed Theology

Is Calvinism the cold, rigid approach to Christianity it’s made out to be?

Reformed theology — or Calvinism — gets a bad rap. Calvinists are often seen as condescending, believing themselves to be part of God’s “elect.” It’s a cold, rigid theology that leaves no room for grace, oppresses women, and eliminates the need for evangelism. Or is it? A number of people (see here, here, and here) have written of a Calvinist revival happening in Christianity. The theology’s main proponents are some of the most prolific, publicized (and polarizing) voices: Tim Keller, Matt Chandler, John Piper, John MacArthur, and Mark Driscoll, to name a few. Though Calvinism and its counterpart, Arminianism, are roughly equal in numbers of adherents, Calvinists get most of the press — much of it misleading.

 So, here are 10 things to know about Reformed theology.... Read more

See also
Be a Kinder Calvinist
Troubling trends in America's 'Calvinist' revival
Evangelicals Find Themselves in the Midst of a Calvinist Revival
Young, Restless, and Reformed
Arminianism
Is There a "Reformed" Movement in the American Churches?

My biggest problem with this article is that it equates Reformed theology with Calvinism and visa versa. However, John Calvin was a relative latecomer to Reformed theology and borrowed from the works of earlier Reformed theologians. His theological views on a number of key issues are not entirely original. As Oliver Crisp points out in his interview with Kevin P. Emmert (See "The Softer Face of Calvinism"), the Reformed tradition is broader than is often thought. Even classical Arminianism with its five Remonstrances can be classified as standing within that tradition.

After looking at the articles to which Corrie Mitchel provides links in the opening paragraphs of his article and reflecting upon the doctrinal content of the ACNA formularies (not to be confused with the Anglican formularies), one cannot help but conclude an unstated aim of the Anglican Church in North America is to suppress the development of a Reformed movement and the revival of Reformed theology in that denomination.