By all accounts it would seem that evangelicalism is currently in the midst of a resurgence of interest in Reformed theology. At conferences and in publications all sorts of people are noting the growing interest in Calvinistic theology, especially (though certainly not exclusively) among younger people. Collin Hansen captured some of this interest in an article he wrote for “Christianity Today” called “Young, Restless, Reformed.” Now certainly simply saying something is happening does not make it so. But I am in agreement that this surge of interest does seem to be genuine and does seem to be widespread (and growing).
I am interested in asking questions of those who are quite new to an understanding of the Reformed faith or who are perhaps simply new to the “banner” of Reformed, even if they have always understand these doctrines of God’s sovereign grace. In particular, I am interested in knowing about how you came to understand the Reformed faith and what resources you depended on to teach you about them. Questions like these come to mind:
As you began to understand Reformed principles, what were your greatest and most pressing questions about this system of theology?
What aspects of Reformed theology most troubled you and were the most difficult to reconcile in your mind?
What resources did you turn to to help you explore the Reformed faith? Was it only Bible study that led you to Reformed beliefs or did you rely on secondary sources as well? Which were the most helpful resources (teachers, books, web sites, etc)?
Are there still questions that remain? Are there certain aspects of Reformed theology that you continue to wrestle with or that you simply do not understand?
How confident are you now in your ability to understand, defend and apply the principles of the Reformed faith?
If there are some people who would be willing to share their experiences, either in a comment or in an email, I’d be grateful.
