This article is a summary from the following episode: The Good and The Bad of New Calvinism.
If you’ve been around the church world for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the term “New Calvinism” or “the Young, Restless, and Reformed.” This movement gained a lot of traction in the American church, especially in the early 2000s. It was fresh, exciting, and for many of us, it was a breath of gospel-scented air in what felt like a spiritual desert.
But like anything that grows fast and wide, there were real strengths—and real weaknesses.
Today, we want to step back, reflect, and have an honest conversation about the good and the bad of New Calvinism. What was worth celebrating? And what should we be cautious about?
The Good of New Calvinism
A Recovery of Sovereign Grace
One of the most significant gifts of New Calvinism was the recovery of the doctrines of grace. In a church culture that often felt man-centered, the emphasis on God's sovereignty in salvation was like a thunderclap. We remembered that salvation is of the Lord from start to finish—that we are dead in our sins and need to be made alive by God’s sovereign hand.
It reminded us that we are saved not because of our own effort, but because God chose to set His love upon us before the foundation of the world.
A Renewed Interest in Old Theology
New Calvinism sent many of us back to the old paths. Suddenly people were dusting off the writings of men like John Owen, Thomas Watson, and Jonathan Edwards. Banner of Truth books were flying off shelves. Seminaries and publishers realized there was a hunger for deep, historic theology again.
And that has had a lasting impact. Today, more believers are reading the Puritans, studying the Reformers, and even exploring the ancient creeds and confessions of the church because of the trail New Calvinism blazed.
A Call to Serious Preaching
There was also a noticeable push back toward expository preaching. After decades of topical, moralistic, and seeker-sensitive sermons, many pastors returned to preaching through books of the Bible—chapter by chapter, verse by verse. That shift alone has borne tremendous fruit in the life of the church.
Serious-minded preaching meant a serious-minded view of God, His Word, and the Christian life. That was needed.
A Greater Concern for Ecclesiology and Mission
New Calvinism also helped many rediscover a healthier doctrine of the church. Conversations about elder plurality, church membership, and biblically faithful missions gained momentum. Instead of merely focusing on attractional strategies, many leaders began asking deeper questions about what it means to actually be the church.
All of that was—and still is—a good thing.
The Bad of New Calvinism
But it wasn’t all roses. As thankful as we are for what New Calvinism recovered, there were significant weaknesses too.
Calvinism without Covenant Theology
New Calvinism largely recovered Calvinistic soteriology (doctrine of salvation)—but without the broader framework of covenant theology. Without an understanding of how God relates to His people through covenant, many were left trying to piece things together with only a few puzzle pieces in hand.
This created a serious imbalance. People knew God was sovereign, but often didn't know how to make sense of the Christian life, assurance, or sanctification in a covenantal, Christ-centered way.
A Pietistic and Revivalistic Bent
New Calvinism carried with it a strong pietistic and revivalistic streak. There was an overemphasis on personal experience, internal fervor, and subjective measures of sincerity.
Instead of grounding assurance in Christ’s finished work, many began looking inward for signs of true faith. Sanctification became something we anxiously tried to perform, rather than something God promises to work in us through ordinary means of grace.
It often left people tired, discouraged, and spiritually anxious—constantly wondering if they were “really” saved or “serious enough.”
A Biblicism That Rejected Historic Confessionalism
Another issue was biblicism—the allergy to creeds, confessions, and historical theology. Many new Calvinists prided themselves on “just believing the Bible,” but this often led to a flattening of Scripture and ignoring how Christians have faithfully understood the Bible for centuries.
The result? Confusion over key doctrines like sanctification, law and gospel, assurance, the sacraments, and the Christian life as a whole.
Instead of standing on the shoulders of the Reformers, many were trying to reinvent the wheel—and it showed.
An Overemphasis on Human Effort in Sanctification
Perhaps one of the clearest dangers was how sanctification was often framed. Many taught that while God saves us by grace, we stay in His good graces—or prove our salvation—through our ongoing performance.
This shifted the Christian life back into a subtle form of works-based righteousness. Instead of resting in Christ’s finished work, many believers lived in a cycle of self-assessment, striving, and discouragement.
In short, the movement rescued us from shallow theology, but often left us adrift in practical pietism.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Here’s the good news: God has used New Calvinism for much good. Many of us are Christians today because of the ministry of those who labored in that movement. For that, we are grateful.
At the same time, we don’t have to stay stuck in its weaknesses. We can press deeper into a fuller, richer understanding of what it means to be truly Reformed—covenantal, confessional, and Christ-centered.
We don’t need to reinvent Christianity. We need to return to the ordinary, beautiful, powerful means God has given us: Word, sacrament, prayer, and the gathered church.
We need Christ—not just at the beginning of the Christian life, but for all of it.
Final Thought
We’re thankful for New Calvinism. It woke many of us up. But we need more than just Calvinistic slogans and serious conferences. We need the ordinary, steady, joy-giving reality of Jesus Christ crucified and risen—for sinners like us—week after week, year after year, until we see Him face to face.
All of Christ, for all of life.
