I just read through all of the posts here and would like to respond to a year old post by Eric.

I must say that unity is indeed needed in the Church. Take for instance Wayne Grudem (A reformed non-cessationist) is a leader in trying to unite all presbetyrians, baptsists, reformed, and charismatics into one unified body.

The difference here though is that unity does not come despite theology, but rather it comes because of theology. If you were to say that Jesus was not God, then we couldn’t be united at all.

If you are a christian, but disagree about the use of the ordinances/sacraments then we would be united on all things except for these issues.

If you are a christian and disagree that God divinely orchestrates the salvation of all who are being saved and passes over, in a sovereign and just way, those who are condemned then we could not be unified on this issue.

Many Armenians even find the idea so appalling that they fight against the teaching of those who hold this view.. And those who hold this view see it as something so beautiful that every Christian should be offered the sweet taste of its goodness. That’s why there is such a strong division in this area.

The division in this area is much stronger than other areas. For example: I am a premil/post trib rapter guy. I would not agree with Jenkins and Lahay on their Premill/pre trib rapture teachings, but since there is less savoring on this truth than on the truth of God’s divine decree of salvation, then I would be less likely to allow a dispute to arise in this area of theology. (Even though it is important).

And if you believe 1 Corinthians 13:4 you know that Love rejoices in the truth.

YOu can’t have “true” love if you don’t first have “truth”

Your charismatic/traditional/wesleyan/catholic brother

Eric

And I get your point. When I hear a God-centered song, I think of it as “Calvinistic” since I am “Calvinistic”. Maybe the same goes for Arminians.

Perhaps they used the songs without thinking too much about the lyrics.

Many of Caedmon’s Call’s songs are strongly Calvinistic because the group’s former singer/songwriter, Derek Webb, is a Calvinist. Songs like “Thankful” (“that I’m incapable / Of doing any good on my own”) are his work.

On top of that, I personally find that songs that are strongly God-centred and/or based on the biblical text always sound “Calvinistic” to me, regardless of who wrote them. Heck, even Phillips, Craig and Dean can sound that way at times, and the UPC crowd is about as far from Calvin as you can get.

You may be right about Caedmon’s Call. I have heard a song or two from them, however, that had very strong Calvinistic lyrics. Perhaps they used the songs without thinking too much about the lyrics. I think Ryan is right that we shouldn’t be surprised that Reformed music is not pervasive yet. Perhaps this will change in time as the “Young, Restless, Reformed” movement grows up.

William,

Hey, sticks in the mud are welcome here. To me, songs by Casting Crowns are joyful too. Many of them, though, have a pensive, thoughtful tone. They are telling a story and driving a message home, and they are true to the art form used. I think they represent some of the best in CCM today.

This song, Worthy is the Lamb, is joyful to me. But I agree that musical taste is often as varied as people are different. I like some Southern Gospel, and have heard some great songs, but many seem quite shallow and not joy producing to me.

Thanks for your thoughts, however.

God bless you all in Christ,

Bob

The Reformed make up, I’d guess, at most 20% of the evangelical Christians in America. So, yeah, it stands to reason that the Free Willies are going to put out more music.

Moreover, the Reformed are not much into the whole pop culture thing, and so the music they do write is less appealing to record labels.

Ryan D.

I think you have also made my point…
“There may be some reformed or calvinistic, and maybe charismatics- doing music” seemed to be the jist of what you were saying. The only guy in the “truly” reformed camp may be Leonard Payton, he’s at Westminster CA. Thanks Bob.