Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport: Making Connections in Today's World

Richard Mouw‘s book Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport is a new read provided to me for a book review. The book is not much of a biblical defense for the Calvinistic heritage but then that is not its prime objective. But much is to be learned from the humble & gentle tone in the pages of this book that at times is not found in some supposed Calvinist.

The book’s title draws from a scene in a movie entitled: “Hardcore” in which a man played by George C. Scott tries to explain his Christian faith using the TULIP acronym to an unsuspecting young girl who happens to be a prostitute. The setting is in the Las Vegas Airport – hence the title. I’ve never seen or heard of this movie but apparently the producer/director was at one show more time Calvinist and later rejected it along with Christianity as a whole. The Calvinist in the film is portrayed by the author was projected as uncaring.

Mouw who is the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, sees the humor in the film’s cold presentation of Calvinist doctrines to someone who needs salvation before a hearing a treatise in reformed theology. Dr. Mouw first sets out first by explaining why he says he is a Calvinist and the journey he took becoming one. The chapter “Mere Calvinism” is a summation of Calvinist soteriology, and his willingness to avoid division over Limited Atonement. I thought his description of Abraham Kuyper’s Calvinism was very helpful.

There was on problem however that surfaced in the book that you would have to overlook to enjoy the read. There is a chapter that Mouw emphasizes what he calls divine generosity where he explains his inclusivist understanding of salvation in which he hopes that some who don’t profess Christ still wind up in heaven anyway. Even though he says he is not a Universalist sure sounds like one. I find his call for pluralistic diaglogue with tolerance with other faiths a bit of a dangerous notion

What the book becomes is a gentle apologetic for Calvinism that avoids the sterile theological debates in which Arminians and Calvinist shout out Scripture passages to one another. In the end Dr. Mouw’s suggestions for communicating Calvinism in our contemporary culture with gentleness, care and respect are much needed within the Reformed community. show less