Abraham Piper has written an excellent post on Desiring God’s blog about being a “kinder Calvinist.” He acknowledges that, regardless of how most Calvinists might actually be, or who they are “on the inside” so to speak, the majority of non-Calvinists percieve them as being arrogant, cold, and generally difficult people. What should a Calvinist’s response be to such a prevalent notion? Mr. Piper has some insightful answers.
Read the post here.
thanks for the heads-up. ive been accused a couple of times of being an aggorant calvanist. i just hope i present the truth in humility and love. grace and peace.
Of course, many non-Calvinists perceive Calvinists in such a way because they’re taught to. We’re stereotyped as ‘frozen chosen’ or demonized right along with John Calvin (talk to someone from a Calvary Chapel if you haven’t heard people equate Calvin to the devil). Rather than engage in actual exegetical discourse, people often resort to vague accusations of heresy or the brilliant anti-Calvinist argument I once heard, “Don’t you read the Bible?”
It may be that we just get jaded, or our passion for truth may make us somewhat more uncompromising with regard to doctrine than your average Evangelical can stomach, but inasmuch as we are truly guilty of cynicism and harshness, I think such a call is apt. I know I’m a dick on a regular basis.
That’s very true, but Piper’s point is that if all we do to combat the stereotype is go on the offensive, and say “we’re just more zealous about truth than you are!”, then we won’t really help to reverse the stereotype (as he said, ironically).
Indeed, that’s why I just huff imperiously under my breath and turn away to my stacks of law books.