Posted on 11/28/2005 11:13:45 AM PST by topcat54
Institutionally, there is no way for fundamentalism to overcome its schizophrenia. It must choose either comprehensive cultural retreat or comprehensive cultural victory, either pietism or Christendom.
Three basic ideas are crucial for the success of any religious, social, intellectual, and political movement. First, the doctrine of predestination. Second, the doctrine of law. Third, the doctrine of inevitable victory. The fusion of these three ideas has led to the victories of Marxism since 1848. The Communists believe that historical forces are on their side, that Marxism-Leninism provides them with access to the laws of historical change, and that their movement must succeed. Islam has a similar faith. ... As faith in all three has waned, the religious lure of science has also faded, especially since about 1965, when the counterculture began to challenge all three assumptions.
Modern fundamentalism has long since abandoned all three. The fundamentalists are divided on the question of predestination, but the majority are committed to Arminian views of God, man, and law. They believe in man's limited autonomy, or “free will.” Furthermore, they have rejected biblical law as a guideline for social order. They argue that there is no explicitly Christian law-order in the era of the church, from Pentecost to the future rapture into heaven of the saints. Finally, they are committed to eschatological pessimism concerning the efforts of the church, in time and on earth. Without a doctrine of the comprehensive sovereignty of God, without a doctrine of a unique biblical law structure which can reconstruct the institutions of society, and without a doctrine of eschatological victory, in time and on earth, the fundamentalists have been unable to exercise effective leadership.
(Excerpt) Read more at chalcedon.edu ...
I couldn't link to it for some reason.
Say, is this the "They sky is falling!!!" Y2K Gary North?
"hey believe in man's limited autonomy, or “free will.” Furthermore, they have rejected biblical law as a guideline for social order. They argue that there is no explicitly Christian law-order in the era of the church,"
Hmmmm, do I smell Christian Reconstructionism?
(((shudder)))
"Finally, they are committed to eschatological pessimism concerning the efforts of the church, in time and on earth."
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Pessimism or reality?
Jesus is coming soon.
OOOOooooo...I just looked it up because I wasn't familiar, and I want to know if I can join you in that shudder?
I saw images of Oliver Cromwell as I read it.
The Creed of Christian Reconstructionism
Rev. Andrew Sandlin
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Calvinist. He holds to historic, orthodox, catholic Christianity and the great Reformed confessions. He believes God, not man, is the center of the universe--and beyond; God, not man, controls whatever comes to pass; God, not man, must be pleased and obeyed. He believes God saves sinners--He does not help them save themselves. A Christian Reconstructionist believes the Faith should apply to all of life, not just the "spiritual" side. It applies to art, education, technology, and politics no less than to church, prayer, evangelism, and Bible study.
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Theonomist. Theonomy means "God's law." A Christian Reconstructionist believes God's law is found in the Bible. It has not been abolished as a standard of righteousness. It no longer accuses the Christian, since Christ bore its penalty on the cross for him. But the law is a description of God's righteous character. It cannot change any more than God can change. God's law is used for three main purposes: First, to drive the sinner to trust in Christ alone, the only perfect law-keeper. Second, to provide a standard of obedience for the Christian, by which he may judge his progress in sanctification. And third, to maintain order in society, restraining and arresting civil evil.
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Presuppositionalist. He does not try to "prove" that God exists or that the Bible is true. He holds to the Faith because the Bible says so, not because he can "prove" it. He does not try to convince the unconverted that the gospel is true. They already know it is true. They need repentance, not evidence. Of course, the Christian Reconstructionist believes there is evidence for the Faith--in fact, there is nothing but evidence for the Faith. The problem for the unconverted, though, is not a lack of evidence, but a lack of submission. The Christian Reconstructionist begins and ends with the Bible. He does not defend "natural theology," and other inventions designed to find some agreement with covenant-breaking, apostate mankind.
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Postmillennialist. He believes Christ will return to earth only after the Holy Spirit has empowered the church to advance Christ's kingdom in time and history. He has faith that God's purposes to bring all nations--though not every individual--in subjection to Christ cannot fail. The Christian Reconstructionist is not utopian. He does not believe the kingdom will advance quickly or painlessly. He knows that we enter the kingdom through much tribulation. He knows Christians are in the fight for the "long haul." He believes the church may yet be in her infancy. But he believes the Faith will triumph. Under the power of the Spirit of God, it cannot but triumph.
A Christian Reconstructionist is a Dominionist. He takes seriously the Bible's commands to the godly to take dominion in the earth. This is the goal of the gospel and the Great Commission. The Christian Reconstructionist believes the earth and all its fulness is the Lord's--that every area dominated by sin must be "reconstructed" in terms of the Bible. This includes, first, the individual; second, the family; third, the church; and fourth, the wider society, including the state. The Christian Reconstructionist therefore believes fervently in Christian civilization. He firmly believes in the separation of church and state, but not the separation of the state--or anything else--from God. He is not a revolutionary; he does not believe in the militant, forced overthrow of human government. He has infinitely more powerful weapons than guns and bombs--he has the invincible Spirit of God, the infallible word of God, and the incomparable gospel of God, none of which can fail.
He presses the crown rights of the Lord Jesus Christ in every sphere, expecting eventual triumph.
I was doing pretty good until I got to the 4th paragraph. I'm A-mil, not Post. The rest sounds pretty good.
Done stridently, it makes for a totalitarian state ala the way that the Taliban did in Afghanistan. The English Civil War produced a very repressive state for awhile until the English common sense took over.
Is it your contention that it cannot be done biblically and in a way honoring to King Jesus?
Well, the quoted portion wasn't from me, but I'll answer since you asked.
Probably not when it is implemented by sinful men.
I didn't say that. But the history of areas with tight Calvinistic control of the civil law hasn't been of the best, IMHO as a student of history - these areas have tended to be restrictive, repressive, and allowed the poor to be seen as sinful because they were poor and the rich to be holy and part of the elect because of the richness was a mark of God's favor.
I am not pleased with the current state of American law, either, because I think its lost its moral compass.
Don't believe in any form of utopian societies, either, religious or not, and until Christ's return there will be no perfect society. I believe that my tagline states the right approach, though, to organizing society as well as living life: act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Is it just me, or doesn't this seem a little upside down from the gospel message?
I am not pleased with the current state of American law, either, because I think its lost its moral compass.
I don't know that you can blame the law for that. That's more a matter of the people heeding a siren's call than the law itself.
Reconstructionist ping!!
Control Freaks can use any creed to advance their lust for power. You tagline is indeed the vehicle by which the Kingdom will overtake all others.
Islamic jihadism is a sorry replica of the advancing authority of the church. A violent, repressive approach to Christianity is no better.
Dominion through love!
Ah, but the culture gets the law to back it up.
Of course, law in a country like the US will always reflect the standards of those who are making the law. What does the current set say about us as a people?
We have become a society where protecting stands of dead, bug killed trees from loggers has become more important than protecting the stability of family structure, and the right to have sex at any age and with whomever you want has become more important than the rights of the unborn.
Something, imho, is very wrong with this picture.
I don't think I agree, but let me ask another question: what is preferable, a set of laws based explicitly on the law of God, or a set of laws based humanist ideologies?
BTW, while often framed that way be its detractors, there is really nothing "utopian" about reconstructionism. It is simply the belief that biblical law can be used equitably to inform civil institutions. Reconstructionsist are not perfectionists. Quite the contrary, by and large they believe in the spiritual depravity of man, thus the need for effective and equitable civil laws.
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