What doth the Synod of Dort have to do with Sin City, USA? Find out in my review of Richard Mouw’s book, Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport
ichard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary, is a prolific author
There is a fairly long story behind the title of this book, which the author recounts in chapter 1 (pp. 11ff). Cutting through some of the back-story, let’s just say that Mouw got the title from a scene in a movie where an elder from the Christian Reformed Church tries to evangelize a young female prostitute using the five points of Calvinism. Intriguing, isn’t it? I certainly thought so when I first heard about the book.
And I first heard of this book from my friend Mark Mitchell. Mark is smart guy with a solid understanding of scripture. He recommended the book to me as a starting point of discussion between us. I enjoyed reading the book and discussing it with Mark, and the expression “thought-provoking” is the most precise thing I can come up with to describe my reaction to this book. I’ll have more to say about this at the end of this post.
Richard Mouw states his purpose for writing this book on page 17 when he writes,
I am more interested here in questions about Calvinist character and mood. I want to focus here on how to be a Calvinist in the twenty-first century…. This is a book for people who want to see how it is possible to draw on the strengths of Calvinism as they make their way through the complexities of contemporary life.
When I read that page and the chapter where it appears, I felt excited. What a promising idea, that Calvinism might be more than just a great way to describe the Bible’s teaching on salvation. Could it also be the secret to living an “integrated Christian life” (p. 24) as Mouw suggests?
Unfortunately, the book promised more than it delivered. As I moved from page to page, I found myself more and more disappointed. This is not to say that Mouw is just taking us for a ride around in circles in his own theological cul-de-sac; no, this book lays out a road but it is a twisty, winding dirt lane that leaves you confused about the intended destination and maybe even a little car sick.
Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport is only 119 pages in length. But this is one rare case where a longer book might be better. Calvinism is an important subject to me, but this book is so short that I felt like I went to Orchestra Hall to hear a great piano sonata, only to be treated to Schroeder plunking out one little ditty on his toy piano. On this subject, nothing less than Van Cliburn on a Steinway concert grand will do.
This brings me to the issue of the book’s audience, and I’m not sure I really know who the intended audience is. It is definitely not for people taking a spin in the Camry with only a theological learner’s permit. Yet, you don’t have to have to have a theological CDL to understand the book. If you grew up in a reformed church and understand what Calvinism is, then you won’t need a seminary or Bible college degree to get through this book. Perhaps this is the audience Mouw had in mind—those who understand and hold to the doctrines of grace, regardless of whether or not they have formal theological training. But if you DON’T understand Calvinism, in at least a rudimentary way, this book is not for you. It will give you a distorted snapshot of how Calvinists practice the Christian life. I’ll have a bit more to say on this under the heading of theological accuracy, but first let’s talk about…
Readability. Again, this depends on how well you understand Calvinism. If you were raised in a church that taught you the Westminster Catechism or if you have studied a proper presentation of Calvinism, then you can ski through this book easily. It might take a little effort, but you can move through it like a cross-country skier on fresh white powder. If you don’t understand Calvinism like a Dutch native, however, then you may find yourself huffing and puffing like a 300 pound man trying to climb the stairs to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower.
The book is readable; however, it is not especially clear. Often the author only hints at how a particular aspect of Calvinism might be applied to daily Christian living. In chapter 9, for instance, the author contrasts Las Vegas and the New Jerusalem promised in scripture. What is the point of this comparison? I’m not sure; it seems to be that Calvinism (which gets you to the New Jerusalem) delivers a kind of hope in life and death (p. 101) that Las Vegas also offers but can never deliver. I think that’s what Mouw is getting at, but his writing never really comes out and says it, nor does he develop the implications of what I think is a pretty interesting image. Most of the chapters are like this; the author seems to nod in a direction, but you’re not really certain if those nods are just facial tics.
In terms of theological accuracy, there is wide variation from chapter to chapter. Sometimes Mouw hits the mark like an expert bow-hunter hits a deer in hunting season; at other times, the author makes road-kill out of clear and simple theological concepts. On the good side, for instance, Mouw describes Total Depravity (the “T” in TULIP which is an acronym for the five points of Calvinism) by drawing on a memory from his childhood (p. 30). He recalls a mean trick he played on another younger, poorer boy in his community, then uses this story to illustrate how, as fallen sinners, we take delight in doing evil for its own sake. He writes, “I try to imagine what was going on in my heart when I performed that absolutely gratuitous bit of evil, and I cannot fathom it.” This struck me deeply because I can look back on my life, and feel deep regret for times that I sinned just for the pleasure of sin. I had no human excuse or provocation; I just acted out of my fallen nature. These are not “serious sins” as the world or the church would look on them, but they point beyond the acts themselves to a sin nature that is deeply twisted—a central tenet of Calvinism. There are other spots like this in the book where Mouw unpacks the personal side of Calvinism in ways that are spiritually convicting, simulating, or awe-inspiring.
But there are many places where the author does Calvinism a deep disservice. He takes the doctrines of grace and extends them not with Scripture but with logic to the point where they are distorted, broken, and dangerous like a rubber band that you stretch until it breaks and snaps you in your right eye. For instance, Calvinists hold that only those whom God has chosen will be saved from God’s eternal punishment in hell. This is one of the most difficult aspect of Calvinism for most people to accept. But this doctrine of “Unconditional Election” (the “U” in Calvinism’s TULIP) is taught repeatedly and clearly in the Bible. Some people try to get around this selectivity by arguing for Universalism, which teaches that God has elected everybody; therefore, everyone will be saved one way or another. Mouw denies holding this (p. 84); yet curiously he talks about two friends—one a Jewish rabbi and the other a woman abused by her “Christian” father (pp. 87-88). Both of these people have pious affections, but each explicitly denies being a Christian. So, by their own admission, they have rejected Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Savior. Does this mean that, if they die in this unbelief, they will not be in heaven? Classic Calvinism, reflecting the teaching of the Bible, says “yes.” But Richard Mouw is not so sure. About his rabbi friend he writes,
I have a spiritual hunch about how things are going to end up for this rabbi. I would not be surprised if, when the final encounter comes with his Maker and he sees the face of Jesus, he will bow in worship, acknowledging that Jesus is the One whom he should have named all along as the Promised One of Israel—and that the Savior will welcome him into the eternal kingdom (p. 87).
So here we have a man who rejects Jesus Christ in this life, yet he gets a second chance after he dies and, on his second chance, shows himself to be elect by accepting the gracious gift of eternal life. What kind of Calvinism is this?! It is one that takes the idea of unconditional election so far that it denies the fourth of the five points of Calvinism—Irresistible Grace (the “I” in TULIP). Irresistible Grace holds that all whom God elected and Jesus died for will, by the regenerating grace of God, turn to embrace Jesus as Savior IN THIS LIFE. Calvinists believe this because the Bible teaches it, but Mouw’s understanding of Calvinism is so flexible that one tenet ends up breaking others. Mouw does not say this explicitly; instead he writes on page 88:
as a Christian who takes the Bible seriously, I do want them to actually call on the name of Jesus (Romans 10:13), to acknowledge that he alone can save them from their sinful state. In the meantime, however, I do live with my hunches about the scope of God’s generosity toward people like them…. I don’t feel I am betraying the Calvinist cause in entertaining these hunches.
See the head-fake? And this is just one theological danger zone in the book; there are others, though I think this is the most egregious. The author has a way of talking about these areas of theological quicksand on the path of Calvinism, but instead of pointing them out, he seems to suggest that you walk toward them and try them out as legitimate branches on the path of truth. Therefore I am very, very hesitant to recommend this book to anybody, even though I did find it challenging and spiritually stimulating in many ways. A believer with some biblical discernment may profit from reading it, but he or she must carefully compare the author’s weighty proposals against the gravity of clear scriptural teaching.
One final thought: you must understand that, in this book, Mouw is not really interested in explaining or defending Calvinism as a theological system. Chapter 3 (pp. 25ff) does give the five points of Calvinism a quick glance, but if you are curious about what Calvinists believe, Mouw admits this is not the book for you (p. 17). Instead, I would recommend Chosen for Life
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