Recently, I acquired the domain CharismaticCalvinist.com and several friends asked me to explain this seemingly oxymoronic combination of words.

The term "Charismatic Calvinist" can probably be attributed to Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hills Church who associated the term with himself at a pastors conference in 2005 according to this wiki article. Another term used to describe this position is Neo-Calvinism or Neo-Reformed. According to one Time's Article, one would get the impression that this is simply Calvinism paired with contemporary Christian music; it more complex than that and frankly, I personally can't stand most contemporary (pop) Christian music, but I digress.

Charismatic Calvinist combines two theological systems of thought. The first is Calvinism, a theology taught by John Calvin which emphasizes a high view of Scripture and the sovereignty of God from which it forms its theological views commonly described by the acronym T.U.L.I.P meaning:

Total Depravity (a.k.a. Total Inability and Original Sin)
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement (a.k.a. Particular Atonement)
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints (a.k.a. Once Saved Always Saved)

The details of Calvinism are beyond the scope of this post but if interested you can read about it here, and here.

Regarding the second component to Charismatic Calvinism, I am NOT speaking about that Pentecostal flavor of Charismatic thought that believes that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace that brings power in the life of the believer evidenced by the speaking of tongues. I am also NOT speaking about the charismatic movement having all those bizarre elements like raising of the dead, spiritual barking and laughter, crawling and shaking on the floor, future-telling and other counterfeit nonsense. Side note: a good book to have in hand is Counterfeit Revival by Hank Hanegraff where he documents the danger of this deceptive brand of revivalism. 

What I am referring to by the term charismatic Calvinist is defined by the term, continuationism or non-cessationism. Continuationists maintain that certain gifts of the Holy Spirit have continued to this present age. The opposite of continuationism is cessationism which maintains that gifts of the Holy Spirit like, prophecy, tongues/interpretation, healings, exorcisms, and miracles ceased after the apostolic era since they were needed only to authenticate apostolic authority (Grudem, 1031).

There are varying degrees of continuationism. Some well-known theologians/preachers who are considered to be continuationists are John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Mark Driscoll, Justin Taylor and C.J. Mahaney to name a few. Al Mohler was associated with Neo-Calvinism in the aforementioned Times article but I've not found any personal statement thereof so I am uncertain of this. I won't delve into all the specifics of continuationism. Rather, I'll provide some links to some studies and interviews that should shed some light on this idea.

One well-respected New Testament and theologian in the SBC wrote a paper that does a good job of defining some terms in this blog post. Check this out.

You should also read this interview with Wayne Grudem: Continuationism and Cessationism: An Interview with Dr. Wayne Grudem.

For a good study on "signs and wonders" I would strongly recommend this article by John Piper: Signs and Wonders: Then and Now as well as his fourteen-part sermon series on Are Signs and Wonders for Today?

This should at least get you started in understanding what is meant by the terms: Neo-Calvinism, Neo-Reformed and Charismatic Calvinism.

Finally, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the domain name, CharismaticCalvinist.com, maybe Pastor Driscoll will offer to buy it from me.

Today we see our own slender resources, our poverty in fact; but this is undoubtedly the punishment we deserve, as the reward for our own ingratitude. For God’s riches are not exhausted, nor has his liberality grown less; but we are not worthy of his largess, or capable of receiving all that He generously gives.” (Calvin on 1 Corinthians 14:32; The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, p. 305).

Referenced:

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.

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7/15/2009 12:31:29 AM #

HOLY LAUGHER, HOLY BARK, HOLY DRUNKARD & ETC.

 Holy Laughter, holy bark, holy drunkard and etc. are not found in the book of Acts during the Pentecost. Some Charismatic churches might use the word, leap, laugh, drunkard and etc. from the Old and New Testaments to support these movements. However, bear in mind that the word, leap, laugh, drunkard and etc. are mentioned instead of the full phrase of holy laughter, holy bark and etc. What if these practices are not from the work of the Holy Spirit, the insisting that these practices are from the work of Holy Spirit has caused one to abuse the name of the Holy Spirit and it would have grieved the Holy Spirit to accept the wrong saying that these are the work of them. However, the Holy Spirit does not do it. One has indeed blaspheme against the Holy Spirit by abusing the name of the Holy Spirit despite he does not do it. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgivable according to the New Testament

DEFINITION OF BLASPHEMY IN HEBREWS/GREEK

blas’-fe-mi (blaphemia) in classical Greek and Hebrews means primarily ‘defamation’ or ‘evil-speaking’in general; ‘a word of evil omen’, hence, ‘impious, and irreverent speech against God’. The above is the extract pertaining to the meaning of blasphemy in Greek. Consider carefully about holy bark, holy laugher and etc. For instance, if these are not the work of Holy Spirit, the abusing the name of Holy Spirit by saying that these are the work of Holy Spirit is indeed delivery of irreverent speech against the Holy Spirit. For instance, if these are not the work of the Holy Spirit, the insisting that these should be directed from the work of the Holy Spirit might have abused the name of the Holy Spirit and caused defamation of its name and one might have in turn grieved the Holy Spirit since these might not be the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit might be ended up to bear the name for the doer of holy bark, holy laugher and etc. What if it has grieved the Holy Spirit by insisting that these are the work of the Holy Spirit, our ignorance has ultimately caused the ultimate abusing and/or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

HEALINGS IN CONTEMPORARY CHARISMATIC CHURCHES

In miraculous healings among Charismatic churches today, we could easily spot out that many sick will fall down before the healers lay hands on them. However, many sick would remain unhealed after the rally despite they did fall down before the healers, i.e. Pastors that perform miraculous healings. God is definitely powerful and can heal all kinds of sicknesses. However, there is a deficiency in the healings in contemporary Charismatic world. What if the wonders are not the work of the Holy Spirit, the commenting to abuse the name of the Holy Spirit that it is he that does the work might have grieved the Holy Spirit in case if these are not the work of the Holy Spirit and it ends up that one has abused the name of the Holy Spirit and has ultimately blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.

ALL BLASPHEMIES WHETHER TOWARDS THE HOLY SPIRIT OR GOD OR JESUS CHRIST ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS SINS

Matthew 12:31-32, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the BLASPHEMY AGAINST the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speak against a word the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever SPEAK AGAINST the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” As the phrase, speak against the Holy Spirit, is mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32 with the phrase, blasphemy against the Spirit, it implies that a person blasphemes against the Holy Spirit even if he speaks against the Holy Spirit. The same for abusing the name of the Holy Spirit in which it might have grieved the Holy Spirit to accept the false saying what if the works are not from the Holy Spirit. The word, forgiven, is mentioned in Matthew 12:31-32 with the phrase, every sin & blasphemy, it implies that all blasphemies are to be considered as sin or else why we should need God’s forgiveness for the blasphemies. The same in abusing God’s or Jesus’ name to support their miracles are from God or Jesus respectively and these are the acts of blasphemies to be considered as sins too.

THE  WELL-KNOWN VERSES IN MATTHEW 7:21-23

Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practise lawlessness!”
What are the elements could be found in these verses above? There are:
1) They believe in Jesus Christ since Matthew 7:22, “(mentions that) Many will say to me..’LORD, LORD”. These people must have believed in Jesus Christ or else how they could call Jesus Christ to be their Lord as mentioned above then.
2) These people could use Jesus’ name to perform miracles since Matthew 7:22, “(mentions that) Many…have..prophesied…in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?”
3) Will they be accepted by Jesus Christ? Matthew 7:23, “…I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me”.

THE PRIDE AMONG CONTEMPORARY CHURCHES FOR THEIR NON-REPENTANCE

This is my general discovery upon Charismatic churches: Some Charismatic churches might not repent in order to do away their so-called, gift, in the churches due to they feel thieir reputations are most precious than the truth of the Bible and that causes them to persist in the practice. However, bear in mind that the insisting the so-called, gift, in their churches to be the work of the Holy Spirit might cause them to abuse the name of the Holy Spirit and that causes them ultimately to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit what if the miracles are not from the work the Holy Spirit. The act of insisting to defend their reputation more important than the truth of the Bible has indeed violated the great commandment of the Lord. For Matthew 22:37, “(mentions that) Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” The act of having a high preference for their reputations rather that upholding the truth of the Bible implies that his love towards his own reputation is more significance than his love towards God.  For Matthew 22:37 has commanded us to put our love to God first instead of that has to be in replacement of our reputation.

Jonathan CHM United States

8/10/2009 9:05:30 PM #

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5/3/2010 2:04:53 AM #

Xavier, I didn't know this about you. Chris and I are also charismatic calvinists. Chris was raised in an Assemblies of God church but then learned reformed theology from reading the Bible for himself. We are also opposed to cessasionist teachings and it's great to run into another non-cessasionist in a reformed setting.

Leslie

5/20/2010 10:13:06 PM #

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