Carl Trueman has a thoughtful article at Reformation21 on what the media has labeled the “Young, Restless, and Reformed” (YRR) movement in America. In “The Nameless One” Trueman makes several critical observations about this spike in interest in Reformed theology.
Before launching into his critique, Trueman offers this qualifier:
Let me preface this by saying that the more people reading the Bible, the better, as far as I am concerned; the more people going to church and hearing the gospel preached, the more we should all be rejoicing; and the more people studying the writings of Calvin, Owen and company, the happier we should all be.
Nevertheless, “there are a number of things which should give some cause for critical reflection on this new interest in Reformed theology.” His critique falls under four primary headings. Let me summarize them in four warnings:
- Beware the cult of personality
- Beware of universalizing ministry paradigms
- Beware of embracing Reformed theology for merely pragmatic reasons
- Beware of unrealistic expectations for the normal Christian life
Trueman closes by reminding us that even if the YRR movement in America has advanced due to mere “marketable trendiness” there is no cause for panic. Why?
We will still be left with the boring, mundane and nameless people and culturally irrelevant and marginal churches—the nameless ones—upon whose anonymous contributions, past and present, most of us actually depend.
Read the whole thing. And pray that God would continue to raise up “the nameless ones.”