“When Calvinist preacher Jonathan Edwards told worshipers in 1741 that they were loathsome spiders held over the pit of hell by the gracious hand of an offended God, he wasn’t speaking a heretical creed but the basic vocabulary of American faith.”
“Much of modern Christianity preaches a comforting Home Depot theology: You can do it. We can help. Epitomized by popular titles like Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, this message of self-fulfillment through Christian commitment attracts followers in huge numbers, turning big churches into megachurches.”
“New Calvinists talk about their sin a lot. Despite that — or rather because of it — they exude not guilt but great joy. Their explanation: If we play down our sinfulness, we’ll play down our gratitutde for the magnitude of God’s love and forgiveness.”
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