Too Glad to Be True: Puritan Culture (my note: what they were REALLY like)

Os Guinness has written that “evangelicals are often surprised that one of the greatest examples of a Christian mind [or worldview] was at the beginning of the American story when conditions were most precarious and least settled – the Puritan movement.

Why should any Christian be surprised that God is SO GLORIFIED in the midst of the greatest of human struggles. Was our salvation purchased at a Sunday brunch? I don't think it says "Take up your cross and head for food." How could God be glorified in our salvation except that it involve the precious shedding of the blood of the Lamb and great struggles and dependence from the saints.

Any evangelical who asks such a question should also be asking just how the early Church grew so fast after Christ ascended. Why oh why would a Church grow so fast when it produced so many martyrs? Worldly logic would seem to suggest just the opposite.

Like Chesterton, many view this Calvinist race as a people being forced to “wear their blacks in a sort of endless funeral on an eternal Sabbath.”

Ha! If I have learned anything from reading my Calvinists friends here at FR it would be that they of all people should be the most thankful and joyful bunch around. God in the beginning chose us for salvation, which doesn't leave much room for grumbling. Still, I have been surprised to find that you fellows are not a stuffy bunch. I guess I'm revealing some of my prejudices.

Enjoyed!

BTW, what did you think of my reply about Christian Recon/Christian Libertarianism? I know I answered without really knowing too much about the subject at hand, but I would like to know what you think.

I thought that your responses were worthy of a fitting response. I will try to organize one in the next day or so.

BTW, have you checked out Chalcedon's website of late? Much improved.....

I was surprised to find that it sounds like the Presbyterian Layman (PCUSA) might be a recon group...they had a link on their site to an article about the subject, anyway. 3 posted on 11/23/01 4:14 PM Pacific by rwfromkansas

"Presbyterian Layman" is, at best, an "evangelical" Presbyterian layman's communion doing their best to uphold Biblical Truth within the darkness of Theological Liberalism which has infested the modern PCUSA. Don't get me wrong; the simple "fundamentalism" of so-called "evangelical presbyterianism", as manifested by the "Presbyterian Layman", is a welcome antidote to the blasphemy of Liberalism... for the "evangelical" mind-set at least declares, "Some Things ought not be compromised"; and that is a small, but crucial, departure from the Liberal point of view.

But "evangelicalism" is a long way from the truly Reformed point of view, that "Nothing ought be compromised".

Don't kid yourself, my young friend. The evangelical "Confessing Movement" of the PCUSA (as exemplified by "Presbyterian Layman" are, currently at least, fighting little more than a rearguard action against the Liberals in the PCUSA. IF (as I consider most likely at this point) they succeed in effecting a departure from the PCUSA, they will still require a vast amount of discipleship to bring the views of their "somewhat-conservative" faction into adherence with those of the historical, Reformed presbyterian denominations. And IF (a possibility I regard as no more likely than a beggar's hope, at this point) the Confessors should actually succeed in winning their intra-mural battle against the Liberals within the PCUSA, then the challenge would be far greater still... the Orthodox denominations of American Presbytery would then be faced with the task of Reforming the entire PCUSA!! Sheesh... My back is already aching at the prospect of such a daunting task. Between you and me, I would not lay good odds on it, at this point.

So, I will wish the Confessors well... even as I await their break with the PCUSA, which I consider the most likely outcome at this point. Come out of her, God's People, and partake not of her crimes.

I shall look forward to re-visiting the Theonomy discussion re: Reconstructionism-vs.-Libertarianism, in a day or two.

Best,
The Orthodox Presbyterian (formerly Uriel1975)

While prejudiced individuals may believe the myth that “Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy,” we should look to a far better, and truer, Puritanism. This race of Calvinists believes in what C.S. Lewis called a religion “too glad to be true.” This race dances through the eternal Sabbath and proclaims the news of our Lord’s sovereignty and grace to a lost people. This race radiates the light of the redemptive message so magnificently that the world will turn, look, and wonder.

I heard one more leftist repeat this Puritan myth on C-Span last weekend.

Those who choose to pretend that there is no God can't understand this happiness because of misleading and misled folks lying about the Puritans, Jesus, Christianity and the free gift of salvation throughout the centuries. Happiness is believing. G.K. Chesterton once quipped, “Tolerance is the virtue of those who don’t believe anything.”

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