From a question and answer interview with Justin Taylor:

Q. What is the most encouraging thing you see about the so-called “New Calvinism”? What are some areas of caution or concern as we enter this new decade?

A. I think “New Calvinism” is possibly a myth, and I fear it may fracture before too many years are up.
There are four issues:
1. Reformed
2. Complementarian
3. Charismatic
4. Missional

I hold all four of these.
What is touted as “New Calvinism,” though, includes those who disagree with 3 and/or 4. My fear is that cessationist and fundamentalist Calvinists will use those two issues to turn distinctions into divisions.
Many are working hard behind the scenes among various tribal leaders to keep the peace, and I pray we can hold it together and truly have a “New Calvinism” and not the same old unnecessary infighting and separation as old Calvinism.

It’s nice to know that Calvinists who don’t hold all four of Driscoll’s issues are invited to Driscoll’s party, as long as we behave.
The identification of his points 2-4 as representative of ‘New Calvinism’ is peculiar as lots of folk who aren’t Calvinists would hold these positions.
The real fracture point of the list of four that is given above is that 1 and 3 are incompatible and sooner or later if you seek to truly honour both, you’ll lose one or the other.

3 thoughts on “Driscoll On The Fracture Points Of ‘New Calvinism’

  1. mike chen's avatar mike chen says:

    Hello, stumbled upon your website- enjoyed reading, but disagree with your point (I think) that being reformed and charismatic are mutually exclusive. At least in my experience, at my church, (which is a Sovereign Grace church) they seem to be able to balance the two quite well. Granted that it isn’t charismatic in the way that pentecostal churches can sometimes be- but they do believe in the work of the Holy Spirit, even the “spectacular”. It isn’t the emphasis though- the gospel always is.

    1. Gary Ware's avatar gjware says:

      Hi Mike ~
      Reformed folk all believe the Holy Spirit still works today.
      What needs to be clarified is how some of the Spirit’s workings which seemed to have specific functions in New Testament time, such as authoritative prophecy, can be reconciled with what would be a reformed understanding that revelation is now complete in the Scriptures.
      It either is, or it isn’t.

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