Does Calvinism Make People Jerks?
Calvinists are sometimes described as the theological equivalent to Ebenezer Scrooge. The cause of this supposed malady is typically diagnosed Calvinism itself. But is this true? Do the doctrines of grace cause us to be malcontents? Pastor Kevin DeYoung answers this question:
No. But Calvinism is a useful tool for jerky people to act like jerks.
Reformed folks have been stereotyped as the cranky Christians on the block. I’m not interested in debating whether the stereotype is deserved or not. Sometimes it is; sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes we are the meanies because we have the audacity to believe what we believe and the temerity to say that others are wrong. No problem there. That’s Christianity (not all of it, but part of it).
And yet, who among us has not met the quintessential Calvinist curmudgeon? How many of us have been that curmudgeon? Some of you still are! We might as well admit it: Calvinists can be jerks.
But the problem is owing to the jerks, not to the Calvinism. I’ve seen feminist jerks and social justice jerks, libertarian jerks and liberal jerks, hipster jerks and “you Calvinists are Taliban fundamentalists” jerks. The problem is not predestination. It’s pride.
You can read the entire post here.
--The Catechizer
Labels: Calvinism
posted by The Catechizer and The Deacon | 5:53 AM
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