I certainly don’t think this applies to all Calvinists, not even all new Calvinists. I’ve done a bit of research on the phenomenon, though. There is, regardless of anything else, a stereotype of the pushy Calvinist. It is unfortunate, especially since, as I’ve seen it pointed out numerous times, Calvinist theology should humble a person, not make them proud.
I think it’s a general problem that I see among people who get REALLY into the intellectual side of theology. Sometimes things become more about theology than faith itself. I’m sure that it usually doesn’t come from a conscious place of pride. In fact, like R.C. Sproul says, I believe it comes from a genuine place of wanting to share the truth. But I think that can sometimes lead to what I’d call a humble-pride: the idea of understanding a non-mainstream belief and being really proud of the knowledge it gives you. I think C.S. Lewis said something along the lines of “Nothing destroys humility like the recognition that one is humble.” Not an exact quote, but you get the picture. Like I said, it’s some thing I see in a bunch of different branches of theology, but I think certain Calvinists have more of a reputation for it. maybe it comes up because Calvinism, while not the predominant theological system in modern evangelism, has been on the rise for some time. There’s something exciting about being part of an intellectual movement!
I think when people discuss theology in general, we need to be more gracious toward people who have different theology than us. That goes for everyone. On these forums, I see more Featured threads involving people engaging in heated debates about specific pieces of theological doctrine than building one another up in Christ. I’m not saying that theological debate is a bad thing or that we shouldn’t do it, but it can be a stumbling block that I think a lot of us don’t really recognize. I’ve struggled with doubt a lot, and seeing intense theological debates only makes the problem worse. It’s really discouraging to see Christians not engaging with one another with mutual respect, but with a sort of humble haughtiness over nonessential doctrine. Call out blatant untruth, yes, but be gracious when you’re just discussing ideas.
I’d like to comment that I’m somewhere in the middle of the debate (I think both sides are trying to figure out things that our little human brains can never fully understand), and I really wish that both Calvinists and Arminians would be a bit more gracious to the other. My favorite speakers and theologians from both sides of the issue are those that are willing to engage with grace, truth, and respect for those who disagree. They aren’t our opponents; they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can’t forget about that.
God bless everyone.
