It’s Here: CALVINIST—The Movie

It’s available in DVD, BluRay, and digital on-demand. My BluRay copy arrived in the mail today. It goes on sale October 2.

Here’s my blurb:

It has been a little more than a decade since Collin Hansen called attention to the Young, Restless, and Reformed  resurgence within evangelicalism. Now film maker Les Lanphere has skillfully documented the movement on screen. CALVINIST is one part documentary, one part introduction to the basics of Calvinism, and one part encouragement to young Calvinists not to stop at the tulips in the front garden but to continue into the Reformed house, to the communion of the saints, the ministry of the Word and sacrament, and the rest of the Reformed theology, piety, and practice. CALVINIST demonstrates that the Reformed have a sense of humor and that the Reformed community is becoming more diverse by the hour. It encouraged me and I think it will encourage you too.

R. Scott Clark

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11 comments

  1. Please tell me how i can find out more about what this “Young, Restless, and Reformed” movement is? I could swear I have met some of these guys but i really have no clue what that part is talking about?
    Thanks.

  2. I have purchased the Digital download. Planning a “Calvinist date night” with my wife for Tuesday, October 2nd. How’s that for romance?

  3. “Calvinist” was much better than I expected! Les Lanhphere has a real gift for organization of material, effective editing, creative use of graphics, and clarity of presentation. He knows not to dwell on “talking heads” too long, which has been the downfall of many a documentary. (Some of the heads of our guys are mighty attractive, though. You know who you are.)

    I agree essentially with Tim Challies’ review at https://www.challies.com/articles/calvinist/. I would add two minor caveats: The section on The Perseverance of the Saints was a little too short, and failed to properly highlight the necessity of personal obedience and holiness; and the final section addressing the “cage stage” and exhorting YRR types to greater maturity will seem a little foreign to some seasoned Reformed saints. In a few years some of this material will feel dated. I can imagine a second edition of the movie that preserves the content that isn’t time-bound, while expanding on some details of Reformed history and distinctives.

    All in all, I give “Calvinist” 4 out of 5 stars, a solid “A.” It’s truly a tract for our times. It says exactly what’s needed at this moment, and does it very well. It’s a delight, and we should be most thankful for it.

    • I also felt that more time should have been given to the influence of Martyn Lloyd-Jones and the Banner of Truth (which I believe Steve Lawson mentioned only in passing), and a little less time to John Piper. This is understandable, though, since the target audience for the final part seems to be the under-40 to 40-ish YRR crowd. As a senior citizen who has never for one moment questioned Reformed faith and practice, I would have failed miserably trying to reach the young ‘uns. Les Lanphere knows how to speak to these people where they are. That is a wonderful gift.

  4. “encouragement to young Calvinists not to stop at the tulips in the front garden but to continue into the Reformed house”

    Lovely analogy!

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