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The Intolerance of Tolerance

4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 · rating details · 90 ratings · 30 reviews

Tolerance currently occupies a very high place in Western societies: it is considered gauche, even boorish, to question it. In The Intolerance of Tolerance, however, questioning tolerance -- or, at least, contemporary understandings of tolerance -- is exactly what D. A . Carson does. Carson traces the subtle but enormous shift in the way we have come to understand toleranc...more

Hardcover, 196 pages

Published February 1st 2012 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (first published November 15th 2009)

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Feb 23, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

As D. A. Carson points out in The Intolerance of Tolerance, the kind of tolerance now so greatly esteemed in public life can actually be quite intolerant.

Carson helps unravel this apparent paradox by careful defining what is generally meant by “tolerance” and “intolerance.” In doing so, he draws a helpful line between “old” and “new” definitions of tolerance and intolerance.

“Old tolerance” can be pretty adequately expressed by that oft-quoted line (often wrongly attributed to Voltaire): “I disap...more

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Oct 01, 2012 J rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy Carson's exegetical work and am a fan of the series he edits, especially NSBT. But there is less to like about his ventures into cultural criticism, which showcase to a less than desirable degree his 'Gospel Coalition' pedigree. Like The Gagging of God, this book comes off a bit paranoid (for instance in his Huntingtonian 'clash of civilizations' rhetoric about Islam), a bit culture war-ish, and a bit reductionist (what is 'postmodernism'? Carson writes confidently like it's a thing). Th...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Robert Castillo rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have always been a reader of almost anything D. A. Carson writes and his newest book “The Intolerance of Tolerance” does not disappoint in the least. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity who is the author or coauthor of over 45 books including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book “The Gagging of God”.

Right off the bat Carson spends time contrasting the “old tolerance” and “new tolerance.” He explains how the new tolerance calls for the acceptance of an...more I have always been a reader of almost anything D. A. Carson writes and his newest book “The Intolerance of Tolerance” does not disappoint in the least. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity who is the author or coauthor of over 45 books including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book “The Gagging of God”.

Right off the bat Carson spends time contrasting the “old tolerance” and “new tolerance.” He explains how the new tolerance calls for the acceptance of another’s position believing that the position to be true or at least as true as your own position. This is a shift from allowing contrary opinions in the marketplace of ideas to the outright acceptance of all opinions now. Carson then continues the pursuit of unpacking the slide from the “old” to the “new” tolerance from the historical past to how it now presents itself in our present culture..

D. A. Carson then challenges the empty intellectualism and exposes the hypocritical inconsistently of the new tolerances view points. This book needed to be written for the sake of the theological integrity of the church and the culture at large. He provides a long list of a variety of examples how this philosophy has leaked into all areas of life such as religious, political, news and academic environments.

In conclusion the author explains how the Christ follower must adhere to the objective truth found in the scriptures despite living in a climate where religious relativism is the accepted norm. The book is just completely outstanding and a well volume worth adding to one’s reading list for this year the first 30 pages can be previewed here. I found it stimulating intellectually, very readable, well researched and apologetically engaging. Here are some MP3s part 1 and part 2 where Dr. Carson speaks on the intolerance of tolerance as dated March 2004. Also here is a recent interview with John Starke where Carson explains the difference between the “old tolerance” and the “new tolerance”. Enjoy!
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Apr 17, 2012 Jeanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-read-every-5-yrs, serious-about-god-theology

It seems we are at the point in our culture if one disagrees with another on any issue, that person is intolerant, a hater, a bigot, a right wing extremist and I am sure the list will go on. The first thing DA Carson does in this helpful book for Christians who want to pursue truth, is define tolerance. We are now living in a new tolerance. Heaven forbid if we think someone else is wrong. However, WE all need to examine the issues, the implications and the future rights. It seems to me that some...more

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Sep 06, 2012 J B rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book is an excellent survey of the political landscape and explains why so much emotionalism is put forth as thought in today's cultural debates. From the cover- "Carson traces the subtle but enormous shift in the way we have come to understand tolerance over recent years - from defending the rights of those who hold different beliefs to affirming all beliefs as equally valid and correct. He looks back at the history of this shift and discusses its implications for culture today, especially...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Brian Collins rated it 4 of 5 stars

What explains a bank's unwillingness to retain the bank account of a Christian organization that adheres to traditional Christian views on human sexuality? How do universities justify requiring Christian student organizations to admit officers who hold views contrary to Christian doctrine and practice? Why are doctors in some regions required to perform abortions and pharmacists required to carry and distribute abortion inducing drugs—despite their conscientious objections?

In The Intolerance of...more What explains a bank's unwillingness to retain the bank account of a Christian organization that adheres to traditional Christian views on human sexuality? How do universities justify requiring Christian student organizations to admit officers who hold views contrary to Christian doctrine and practice? Why are doctors in some regions required to perform abortions and pharmacists required to carry and distribute abortion inducing drugs—despite their conscientious objections?

In The Intolerance of Tolerance D. A. Carson argues that these incidents follow from a new definition of tolerance, a tolerance that is remarkably intolerant. The old tolerance permitted a wide variety of views—each strongly held. Diversity existed, and so did debate. The old tolerance also functioned within a moral framework. People might disagree about aspects of the framework, but all believed that the "common good" included moral norms.

The new tolerance rejects all dogmatism as intolerant. According to the new tolerance, all views must be accepted as true (or, at least, potentially true). The moral framework that the old tolerance functioned within is rejected by the new tolerance as intolerant. In the end, significant moral discussion becomes impossible. Instead of discussing the rights and wrongs of various theories of poverty and crime, conceptions of marriage, or the origins, nature, and value of human life, "the public discourse focuses on what sanctions should be imposed on those who do not 'tolerate' (definitely the new sense!) the abolition of what were once the moral standards" (133-34).

Intolerance becomes the only vice when the new tolerance is dominant. Yet, ironically, those who function under the old view of tolerance must not be tolerated. This, Carson says, is "worse than inconsistency." The new tolerance views secularism as a neutral arbiter when it fact, as Carson takes the time to demonstrate, it has all the marks of a religious view in its own right. So ironically the free exercise of other religions must give way to the establishment of secularism.

The demand that religion retreat into its own private sphere is bad enough for Christianity and other religions for whom privatization contradicts core beliefs. But worse, even a privatized religion will not suit the secularism of the new tolerance. Even the internal affairs of religious groups are censured under the new tolerance. For instance, the Catholic Church is denounced as intolerant for denying the Eucharist to members who publically oppose its abortion policies, and evangelical Anglicans are castigated for not permitted heretical bishops to preach from their pulpits. Doctors in some areas are told they must perform abortions despite personal religious objections. When a government sanctions those who seek to uphold morality (rather than those who seek to undermine it), not even a privatized religion or a personal conscience offers protection. Democracies too, Carson warns, can be tyrannical.

At this point Carson's book could grow dark and discouraging or angry and shrill. But Carson avoids this. He concludes with ten "ways ahead." Several of these suggestions center on ways of thinking and speaking which undermine the pretentious but hollow claims of the new tolerance. The last three ways forward deserve special mention: "evangelize," "be prepared to suffer," and "delight in God, and trust him." Though making the United States (or wherever) "a better place" is not the motive for evangelism, Carson notes "when the gospel truly does take hold in any culture, changes in that culture are inevitable" (174). But if suffering and persecution rather than cultural change awaits Western believers, it will be nothing more than the New Testament tells Christians they should expect--and nothing more than what many Christians around the world experience (175). Therefore: "Delight in God, and trust him. God remains sovereign, wise, and good. Our ultimate confidence is not in any government or party, still less in our ability to mold the culture in which we live." Our hope is in God.(less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Cody Knox rated it 5 of 5 stars

D.A. Carson shows why he as regarded as one of the premiere leaders and theologians of today's church with this scathing response of today's 'false virtue' - tolerance.

A pithy little quote from Carson sums up concisely the flaw of the 'new' tolerance - "No absolutism is permitted, except the absolute prohibition of absolutism."

It scares me to think of the prevailing thought patterns of the world around me and how I, as a Christian myself, should respond to such flagrant hypocrisy, but Carson co...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Jamie Nofsinger rated it 5 of 5 stars

Probably the best book I've read this year. A must read for any thoughtful believer in absolute truth, and anyone concerned with the direction the United States is heading. Carson draws a comparison between what he calls the "old tolerance", and the "new tolerance". Old tolerance being what enabled people to disagree with one another, call error what it is, and yet remain civil to one another. The new tolerance calls anyone who is willing to disagree or point out error as intolerant, which is ac...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a very relevant and timely book, and I've found it coming up in a lot of different conversations. Most helpful is the distinction he makes between the old tolerance- accepting that different beliefs and ideas exist and discussing them vs. the new tolerance which doesn't allow any room for suggesting an idea or belief is wrong. In fact, that has become the cardinal sin in our culture. The irony which he repeatedly points out and is suggested by the title is that, in condemning anyone who...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Mike Hyatt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-philosophy, culture

It was good.

Everyone loves the movie "The Princess Bride" or at least they should love it. One of the better known lines in that move is by Inigo Montoya. He says, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Is it possible that a society would keep using the word "tolerance" without it meaning what they think it means? Inconceivable you say! Well think again. D.A. Carson has written on the "Intolerance of Tolerance" where he argues as much.

The main point of the...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Bob rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked the book but there is nothing new here. If you have read books dealing with post modernism, relativism, the downside of political correctness then this will be a review. However Carson does an excellent job defining old tolerance and contrasting it with the new tolerance, which he defines for us as well. He explains how the new tolerance calls for the acceptance of another's position believing that the position to be true or at least as true as your own position. This is a shift from all...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Lois rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was the kind of book I had to mull over every few pages. It isn't a long book, but it is thought-provoking. D.A. Carson writes about the changes in meaning of the word tolerance from the "old" definition to the "new." He confirmed what many of us think, that today's tolerance is a one-way street. People can have different opinions that used to generate discussion in the public arena. Now, people are expected to embrace everyone's opinion, unless of course, the opinion belongs to that of a c...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Jkanz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have read a few of DA Carson's books and this may be my favorite. In 2012, he published The Intolerance of Tolerance, which is an extended reflection on the modern notion of tolerance. In our postmodern culture where everything goes, it seems that tolerance is the queen mother of all virtues. Forget love. forget truth. Tolerance represents the pinnacle of our aspirations. Carson sets out to refute these modern notions.

Importantly, Carson sets out early on to differentiate between the old defin...more I have read a few of DA Carson's books and this may be my favorite. In 2012, he published The Intolerance of Tolerance, which is an extended reflection on the modern notion of tolerance. In our postmodern culture where everything goes, it seems that tolerance is the queen mother of all virtues. Forget love. forget truth. Tolerance represents the pinnacle of our aspirations. Carson sets out to refute these modern notions.

Importantly, Carson sets out early on to differentiate between the old definition of tolerance and the new definition of tolerance. Basically, the older tolerance, which is a still a positive virtue in society, accepts that there are different views held among people. The newer tolerance means accepting that view as at least as valid as your own. Objective right and wrong are stripped of their meaning. Ironically, the only thing that those espousing the new tolerance are willing to be intolerant of is intolerance or absolutist thinking. Carson says it this way, "under the aegis of this new tolerance, no absolutism is permitted, except for the absolute prohibition of absolutism" (p. 13).

After briefly establishing his line of reasoning, Carson provides numerous examples of how this new tolerance plays out in society. Often, the targets are Christians, though not always. He does demonstrate rather convincingly that Christians are most often the focus of these inquiries by the tolerance police though many groups (e.g., Orthodox Jews, Muslims) may hold to equally "intolerant" views.

Though many compelling examples were shared, one I found particularly incredulous was found on page 41. He wrote, "In 2004, in the Russian city of Beslan, Islamic terrorists took 1200 people hostage in a public school. They ultimately slaughtered 344 people, 186 of them students. On a smaller scale, but still horrific, two disturbed students massacred 13 people at Columbine High School. [One could certainly add the more recent episodes of violence that have occurred as well]. In the wake of such events, it is not surprising that many schools have run drills so that teachers and students alike will have some idea how to react if such violence breaks out in their schools--locking classroom doors, staying below window level, and so forth while coordinating the work of police and other public safety officials. In New Jersey in April 2007, one such drill was run by the Burlington Police Department. And who were the mock terrorists supposed to be? Homeschooling Christian fundamentalists. Three years earlier, a similar drill in Muskegon County, Michigan, featured homeschooling wackos who detonate a bomb on a school bus.

"Some local exasperation followed. But can you imaging what would have happened if the mock terrorists had been depicted as turban-wearing Islamic jihadists? Can one think of a single instance of organized Christian homeschoolers threatening, let alone carrying out, terrorist violence?"

As I was pondering this book, I wonder if or when we will return to a society where true and real debate is encouraged. I wonder if rising generations will be well enough informed of the realities of society, morality, and truth to be able to put forward a cogent argument while still respecting the other with whom you disagree rather than merely insisting the other to be intolerant, hateful, or bigoted when they share an alternative viewpoint.

Highly recommended. (less)

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Aug 18, 2012 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The older view of tolerance held either that truth is objective and can be known, and that the best way to uncover it is bold tolerance of those who disagree, since sooner or later the truth will win out. . . . The new tolerance argues that there is no one view that is exclusively true. Strong opinions are nothing more than strong preferences for a particular version of reality, each version equally true."
Not a light easy read. Carson is very academic in most of this writing. The final chapter...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Tim Woody rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: theological, political

D.A. Carson in usual style provides a clear and enjoyable analysis of the Tolerance of our age showing how it really is intolerance. This book will take you on a eye opening walk through the history of how we lost true tolerance. My only critique is that D.A Carson's Historical Pri-mil and political theology leaves a distinctly defeatist taste in some sections. But that inst as much a criticism as it is a preference. Either way anyone would benefit from this short look at tolerance in the Wester...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vitally important book in a confused age. I actually liked this book more than I originally thought I would. Would serve as a good "hands on" application of some of the principles that David Wells highlights in Above All Earthly Pow'rs.

Lots of case studies and lots of practical, prophetic wisdom for those who believe that tolerance is more about the ability to lovingly tell someone they're wrong, than to lackadaisically approve of any thought or action that may rise along the spectrum of human...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a must read in my opinion! Our culture is deeply confused in terms of what tolerance and intolerance are. Don Carson's work on the subject is eye opening.

The main thesis of the book is that the new "Tolerance" movement that is so prevalent in the west is extremely intolerant. Some of the examples Carson sites are enraging. Carson opens up, like a skilled surgeon, the tolerance movement and reveals its moral, ethical, and epistemological bankruptcy.

Get a copy of this book and take no...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Dave Jenkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apologetics

The Intolerance of Tolerance by D.A. Carson is a masterful exploration into one of the greatest cultural issues of our day--- tolerance by one of the greatest Christian minds of our day. In post-modernism, tolerance—the affirming and celebrating of virtually any exercise of personal autonomy- is the prime value. The unforgiveable sin is being judgmental, that is, believing that an activity or lifestyle choice that does not hurt another person is wrong, immoral or sinful. A second related unforgi...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Mark A Powell rated it 5 of 5 stars

What passes for “tolerance” in our day is a far cry from the protecting of persons it used to be. We are now mired in a worldview that claims everyone is equally right – except for the person who disagrees with that worldview! Such inconsistency and self-delusion pervades the modern culture. With clarity and candor Carson examines the state of present-day tolerance and exposes where it is found lacking. This is an imminently helpful and timely book.

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Jun 17, 2012 Debi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good look at the difference in how the word 'tolerance' has changed meaning over the years. It used to mean disagreeing on someone's view yet being respectful of the person in spite of disagreeing views. Now it means you can't even disagree with another's view, you can't call another's view wrong. Yet this new tolerance is self-defeating. By calling others intolerant, the one saying they are intolerant is being intolerant themselves.

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Jul 13, 2012 Ian Rees rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: theology, christian-life

Don Carson's encyclopaedic knowledge of current trends, ideas, books etc once again shines. Really helpful analysis of current trends in thinking which begins with the revealing change in the meaning of the word 'tolerance' in English: namely, tolerance used to mean accepting the existence of different views that you did not agree with, but now it means accepting those different views. ie those who disagree with particular notions are labelled 'intolerant' and written off. It then moves through...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Mercifully brief and easy to read. I dont really understand why he felt the need to write this. It is a miscellaneous collection of stories about intolerance with some weak advice about how to address them. Many other books have done a far better job of accomplishing the same task.

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Aug 26, 2012 Kim Much rated it 4 of 5 stars

A man who is not afraid to confront cultural ideologies with strong biblical foundations as well as strong secular foundations, successfully making one think twice about a
topic most would agree shakes the foundations of us all.

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Nov 27, 2012 Andrew Hoffman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great treatment of a topic that lies under most of the hot-button issues of the day. You can also listen to his lecture on the subject here: http://www.solanochurch.org/#/learn/l....

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Aug 11, 2009 Judith marked it as to-read

This is one of six books coming out this year by D. A. Carson. To find links to two MP3s by Carson on this topic, go to http://theologica.blogspot.com/2009/0...

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Oct 21, 2012 Allen Battle rated it 5 of 5 stars

The meaning of tolerance has changed from "agreeing to disagree" to "you must accept others beliefs." Carson carefully shows how this trend in culture is undermining the concept of Truth.

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Dec 31, 2012 Josue Manriquez rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm so thankful to D.A. Carson for writing this book! He has confirmed, strengthened, and clarified my own thoughts on this issue. Carson has articulated with clarity and precision the dangers of the shift from the "old" tolerance to the "new." I only wish more and more people would read this book, so that this "new" tolerance would be exposed for the filth that it is.

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Aug 11, 2012 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent!

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Jun 25, 2012 Joe Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: evangelism-apologetics, christians-and-the-culture, theology, church-issues-and-resources

What a terrific book. I highly recommend it.

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Aug 24, 2012 Michael Locklear rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

A great read with great truth about the sad, fallen world we live in. I highly recommend this book.

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About D.A. Carson

Don (D. A.) Carson (b. 1946) - Reformed evangelical at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His theology is similar to that of Wayne Grudem except on charismatic issues, where his view may be described as "open but cautious." Carson's tendency is to strive for balance and amicability in disputes but is uncompromising on the essentials of the faith. He is a complementarian but supports gender-neutr...more

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The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God

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