Calvinism Conference Questions, Part 8

This is the eighth post in this series.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention will host a Calvinism Conference in August. Speakers include David Dockery, Steve Lemke, Frank Page, and Hershael York. It looks FASCINATING to me. Color me intrigued.

Paul Chitwood, KBC's Executive Director, is the mastermind behind this conference. He has agreed to participate in a Q&A session here on my blog regarding this conference. His answers will post sometime next week, probably. In the meantime, before you see his answers, I've decided (with his permission) to post some of the more pertinent and vexing questions and let my readers have at them in advance of Chitwood's reply. I'll stretch this process out among multiple posts.

Someone will perhaps notice that part eight actually contains question nine. The eighth question to Dr. Chitwood was worded too personally for me to be able to apply it in any general sense. He can answer it in his post, but I'm not including it in this series. You'll find out what it is when he replies.

9. Arminiansim is often the sparring partner chosen for Calvinism, but how does Calvinism relate to pragmatism? Pardon my hyperbolic flourish, but not too long ago, conferences sponsored by state Baptist conventions were predominantly "how-to" meetings or promotional campaigns for cooperative initiatives, while doctrinal symposia consisted of four doctoral students in the corner basement room of a campus student center. What has changed to make deep theological conversation the new spectator sport in the SBC?