Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Todays World
Contents:
Richard Mouw has a gift of transparency to remove ambiguity. Consequently a Christian is defined as more than being.
He is a Beliefnet. Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World. What do the Canons of Dordt mean to people in the Las Vegas airport—and does anyone there even care? This incongruous conversation demonstrates how Calvinism is often perceived today: Beginning with this movie scene, Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport addresses the weaknesses of Calvinism and points to its strengths.
How does Calvinism shed light on today? He walks through the TULIP acronym at the beginning, accurately noting that while all Christians hail the sovereignty of God in their doctrine, Calvinism uniquely "rigorously guards this emphasis on divine sovereignty by refusing to allow any other theological point to detract from it" p.
In explaining the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's free will, Calvinists would rather "waffle" on the latter in order to prevent any dilution in their thoughts about the former. Calvinism was first truly introduced to me by John Piper in Desiring God.
I describe my own conversion to this point similarly: I found this infinitely powerful God to be more attractive to me similarly to how large masses attract objects more strongly than smaller ones. The author still struggles on "Limited Atonement" after a lifetime of study and spends a chapter unpacking it. He makes a statement that I wrestle with: But Jesus said "forgive them Father, for they know not what they do" Luke The only way I can reconcile these is by looking at the other letters of the acronym and remember that I would not accept Jesus if God had not unconditionally extended irresistable grace to my totally depraved self who also put Jesus to death.
Unconditional election-- "divine selectiveness"-- is the one Mouw tends to get the most pushback on. He notes that election is at the heart of Jewish religion, something which often goes unnoticed. Complaints about God making "arbitrary" decisions about peoples' salvations are "better understood as complaints about the facts of life. Limited atonement is a necessary doctrine that Mouw can defend "if I have to," but one he'd rather leave on the shelf. But he offers three options: Interpret the inclusivist biblical texts to be the "more precise ones" ie: TUIP , take the pluralistic texts to be the more precise ones stricter Calvinists , or Mouw's preferred option: On this point, Mouw notes he has read deeply of Puritan and Dutch Calvinist literature and thought about the issue and does not know "how to proceed further" p.
I suspect Calvinist theologians who don't pause and sense any tension between the texts are undiagnosed autistics. Later in the book, Mouw writes that he hopes for a "divine generosity," that the people he has meet who do not yet profess Christ as savior and have had serious issues with the church one woman who was abused by the church, for example preventing them from even considering Christ will yet experience salvation at the end p.
He also argues this position from the writings of Calvinists in history. Mouw offers the advice of Welsh Calvinist Owen Thomas: Don't succumb into confirmation bias or its corollary desirability bias. But the best advice: In the chapter Not a Stranger, the author demonstrates the importance of drawing on God's sovereignty in counseling in the most difficult of circumstances, such as the unexpected loss of a child.
He tells the tale of a minister trying to comfort a Dutch congregation that experienced great loss. The congregation rightly responded "Minister, no stranger did that to us;" they knew the promises of God in Romans 8: He cites a book by Jerry Sittser, himself a sufferer, and how he worked through a theology of loss. There's a reminder that in giving His own son, God knows loss. Mouw takes his Kuyperian Calvinism into social activism as well. We are "elected to something, and serve in an "office" selected by God.
He has tried to be an obedient peacemaker and protested wars. He's tried to be an "agent of God's sovereign rule" p. He makes a very interesting statement: Everyone who believes in the God who actively reigns over his whole creation is a theocrat. I hasten to add that this does not mean I want to impose 'Christian culture' on everyone But the Christian community is called here and now by God to be a witness to the larger world of what it is like to live our lives in open acknowledgement of God's sovereign rule over all things" p.
This is a great theology of work quote p. This is what the psalmist is proclaiming when he writes that the 'earth is the Lord's and everything in it' Psalm I have learned to appreciate in acknowledging that Jesus Christ is not only my personal Savior but the Lord over all my thoughts and the Ruler over all spheres of life. I picked this up along with Letters to a Young Calvinist at a local Goodwill and am pleased with my 99 cents.
Like all books by Presbyterians it will give you a greater appreciation of creeds, church history, and inspire you to read other books. This is the easiest read you will ever find from an academic philosopher. Mar 15, Sean Higgins rated it liked it. The first three chapters made me think I was going to love the book. I thought his explanation of the usefulness of labels was great , as was his own label wearing explanation.
God created us to glorify him in all we do, and our basic choices either honor or dishonor God's creating purposes. When I decide to call myself a Calvinist, then--and if I am serious in my declaration--I am implying that this is a very good way to be a human being who is created in the divine image. When Calvinists get around to attempting to explain the relationship between God's sovereignty and human freedom, we are so concerned to protect the former that we are willing to risk sounding like we are waffling on the latter rather than to imply in any way that God's power is limited.
Our instincts here are the opposite of many other Christians, who would much rather be accused of denying God's full sovereignty than to give the impression that they are putting curbs on human freedom. The primarily problem Mouw points out are Calvinist jerks. No one likes a jerk.
But I'd point out, jerks are not limited to the Calvinist camp. The worst part, however, is that his self-applied means to humility involve accepting ambivalence 42 , embracing a "carelessness of faith" 45 , keeping certain doctrines "on the shelf" , and leaning heavily on his hunches of God's generosity toward those who are "psychologically incapable of articulating" faith in Christ or who are even "anonymous Calvinists" I'm in favor of a kindler, gentler apologetic as was Peter in 1 Peter 3: I'm in favor of humility as was Paul and compassion as was Jesus.
So while Mouw has appropriately identified some of the problematic symptoms associated with Calvinists, I think he's failed to confront the real problem Christians not obeying and acting like Christ and prescribed the wrong fix some pseudo-postmodern love of mystery that makes it so we can all get along.
Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World by Richard J. Mouw
Aug 21, David rated it really liked it. His final reflections on Las Vegas as a counterfeit New Jerusalem were exceptional! Jun 07, Paul Burkhart rated it it was amazing. It is so wonderful when you find a book on such a hard topic, and you wouldn't hesitate for a moment letting anyone in your life read that book. Mouw's contribution here is remarkable. He articulates an ecumenical, winsome, and yet still entirely faithful account of his Calvinism and mine.
Thank God for this book. All readers, whether Calvinists or not, will learn many lessons in these pages. Jul 17, Brent McCulley rated it liked it Shelves: A few good items to chew on.
Claimed "free-will" theologies produce more evangelism albeit this could be contested historically. Confessions very important, etc. Kuyper type Calvinism, every inch, etc. May 31, LeAnne rated it it was ok Shelves: I am not a Calvinist. I picked up this book because my dad had been reading it and the title was intriguing. I got the impression it was going to be less about theology than how to live based on that theology. I thought it might show me the practical implications of Calvinist distinctives. I e I am not a Calvinist.
I either strongly disagreed with the author, or he backed off the strong version. This was especially true of limited atonement.
Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World
I came away thinking, why do we argue about these things if the practical applications only come in the extremes? Different Christians emphasize different sides of the paradox that is our faith in their thinking, but the important thing is to give Scripture the authority it deserves and live it out in practical ways.
At times there seemed to be more emphasis on Calvinist doctrine than on Jesus Christ. My biggest critique of Catholicism is that by elevating tradition to an authoritative level, they can't look back at Scripture and decide that several hundred years ago they may not have gotten it quite right. Mar 13, Kevin Summers rated it liked it Shelves: When people criticized Calvinism in his day, they at least had some idea of what they were talking about; their problem was that they simply did not The sections 'Being Open to Correction' and 'Getting a Second Opinion' in chapter 11 "Confessions of a Traveling Calvinist" are good.
When people criticized Calvinism in his day, they at least had some idea of what they were talking about; their problem was that they simply did not like what Calvinism stood for. Jul 20, Doug Connell rated it really liked it Shelves: Some of his ecumenical aspirations in explaining Calvinism made me hesitant to give 5 stars, but what would you expect from the president of Fuller Seminary where the student body consists of more than denominations? Mar 28, Noah rated it liked it. I was intrigued by this one when I first saw it on the shelves and read it on my bus commute over the course of a month or two.
The book was an easy read by Mouw, written to put Calvinism in modern terms, and I really appreciated his approach. In the end he helped to affirm my own fundamental agreement with the tenan I was intrigued by this one when I first saw it on the shelves and read it on my bus commute over the course of a month or two. In the end he helped to affirm my own fundamental agreement with the tenants of Calvinism's TULIP, which can be challenging to grasp and reconcile with Biblical truths and lived reality.
See a Problem?
The context provided by Mouw gives some peace with some of the loopholes one can interpret here. I was inspired to pick up "Hardcore" from the local library to get a feel for what Paul Schraeder has accomplished and how it inspired Mouw to write the book. Instead we need a clearer, kinder, and more patient Calvinism, not an overbearing putting someone down version. It is no surprise that Mouw reminds us that people are lonely, hungry, lacking satisfaction and looking for answers.
They need to here from the one who invites us to belong to him and experience his love and grace in our lives every day. And when it comes to ethical issues, Calvinists do well to cultivate this virtue in large doses. You will read it again and pass it on to those with whom you would want to share your Calvinistic understanding of the Christian faith. While Os Guinness reminds us that the message is sovereign not the audience, Mouw echoes that thought with the challenge to be a caring, sensitive, and a loving communicator.
Committee on Discipleship Ministries is charged by the Presbyterian Church in America with the task of equipping and discipling the churches of the denomination.
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