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Collin Hansen is the editor-at-large for Christianity
Today and is the author of a number of books and articles, one of which
appeared in Christianity Today in the fall of 2006 dealing with this same
topic. Young, Restless, Reformed, is one of those that you start and must
finish. Tim Challies expressed the sentiment very well on the book’s back cover.
“Collin Hansen invites us on a voyage of discovery, learning how our restless
youth are discovering anew the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Weary of
churches that seek to entertain rather than teach, longing after the true meat
of the Word, these young people are pursuing doctrine. Discover how God is
moving among the young, the restless, and the Reformed.”
I was excited to read how leaders of influence made
pilgrimages through shallow, superficial, rootless Christianity only to see that
the Christian faith and its doctrines of grace provide a foundation and
substantive framework to see and understand God’s grace in action. I have said
for many years, and I believe this book illustrates it, that Calvinism provides
the best theological and philosophical framework for us today. Postmodernism’s
attempt to advocate a non-foundational approach to truth and reality has thrown
out the baby with the bath water. While it is true that much of the theology in
the past 300-400 years suggests a modern or Enlightenment framework that must be
understood in its historical formulation, Calvinism pre-dates that Enlightenment
period. It is a joy and delight to read of the many people, examples, and
situations where we are seeing a desire to be more solidly biblical and
theological.
It is true that doctrine and theology are not abstract
concepts but are all about life and reality. To be a Christian in this
postmodern, post-Christian world demands more than a contentless faith built on
feelings, subjectivism, and relativism. In this book, Hansen offers many diverse
examples of how people are being drawn more and more to Reformed, Calvinistic
theology. He writes about Mark Driscoll and the Mars Hill ministry in Seattle,
Washington. Driscoll was early known for his involvement in the “emergent
movement” but began to look for more solid biblical and theological truth in the
Reformed tradition.
Hanson also writes about the influences of institutions
such as the Presbyterian Church in America and Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, the largest Southern Baptist seminary under
the leadership of Al Mohler. John Piper has also been a key figure and influence
in the emphasis on Calvinistic doctrine. Piper, with his Desiring God
books and conferences, along with others like Wayne Grudem, has led from a
Calvinistic perspective in his Baptist settings.
Maybe with the exception of the Baptists mentioned and the
PCA, others highlighted in this book are not part of a denominational setting,
generally operate independently, and are quiet different and unique in their
styles of ministry.
One of the men mentioned by Hansen said, “Once you start
seeing Reformed theology in Scripture, you realize it’s all over the place. It’s
like a big revolution in your mind. Stuff that didn’t make sense before starts
to make sense. It’s been an incredible journey, and it’s increased my passion
for God.”
Mohler stated in an interview with Hansen, “When I say that
my agenda is not Calvinism, I say that with unfeigned honesty, with undiluted
candor. My agenda is the gospel. And I refuse to limit that to a label, but I am
also very honest to say, yes, that means I am a five-point Calvinist. If you’re
counting points, here I am.”
Hansen says of John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist
Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, “At sixty years old, Piper is the chief
spokesman for the Calvinist resurgence among young evangelicals. Ten years of
Passion conferences have introduced him to a generation of young evangelicals.”
J.I. Packer said of Piper, “John has the gift of catching the attention of young
thinking people and getting them excited about thinking as an exercise, because
he himself does it so passionately.”
From many different circumstances and diversity of
ministries, the Calvinistic movement is alive, growing, and bringing people
together who have nothing in common but the gospel and the desire to embrace a
strong doctrinal Christianity.
Read this book
and be encouraged. Read this book and realize, as stated earlier in this edition
of Equip to Disciple, unity and diversity do not have to result in either
chaos or uniformity. Some of this growth is happening within a denominational
setting and some in more independent settings. However, the doctrines of grace
are a common theme among them all.
- Charles Dunahoo, CEP Coordinator
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