Archibald Alexander Will Beg to Differ

Rick Phillips
I am deeply honored to be the recipient of satire from Darryl Hart, who is concerned rightly to divide the New Calvinists from the Old.  According to Hart, a true Old Calvinist is one who has Lutheran sympathies and, since I really do not (admittedly), then Hart argues that I am in fact a New Calvinist myself.  This is, I think, a revealing way of shaping boundaries, though nothing new for the esteemed Dr. Hart.  (And I do indeed esteem him.)  For him, true Calvinism requires a trifecta of Oldness: Old Light, Old Life, Old School.  His desire to segregate me results from my convictions as a New Light, New Life, Old School Calvinist (for those up on their 18th and 19th century history).  I dare say this puts me in very good company, since by this standard Archibald Alexander and his progeny are highly suspect as well, not to mention virtually all of my more recent heroes such as James Boice, Eric Alexander, and Sinclair Ferguson.

Beneath the satire there are no doubt real issues expressed in Hart's criticism and I am glad to respond, lest Old School Calvinism be reduced to the ecclesiastical sliver that Hart is able to stomach: