Introduction

R. J. Rushdoony’s book Sovereignty is a major work that addresses the theology proper enunciated by the title, the sovereignty of God. The work comprises 80 chapters, so rather than trying to do a short review of the book, which wouldn’t do it justice at all, in future blog articles I will time and again address independent chapters within the book. Each chapter, for the most part, can stand alone for extensive study. For this blog article, I will tackle Chapter 11 of Sovereignty, titled “The Source of Law”. If God is sovereign, and He is, then He is sovereign over every area of our lives for which He has given us His law.

I’ve stated on this blog before that we live in a politicized world today. One only has to observe the reaction to the overturning of Roe V. Wade to confront the politicization of the culture. Although recently coming to its apex, the roots of progressivism and radical liberalism reach back to Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and Lyndon Johnson, all of whom believed in taking the country in a different direction than the founders established. With the rise of progressivism and radical liberalism, we see the growth of centralized government, the bureaucratization of government, and the idea that government institutions should be run by experts who know what is good for the people. As such, the idea of the consent of the governed is jettisoned along with the separation of powers. The basic principles of government as seen in the founders is antithetical to those embraced by the progressives and the later radical liberals. Particularly at stake for the progressives was their stance against Christianity and the idea of eternal verities.

R. J. Rushdoony looks at the rise of the State as an attack on the sovereignty of God and he poses the question in chapter 11 of his book, what is the source of law? If the source of law is not founded on the truths of God, then we are left open to the historical relativism of the progressives, proffered in the name of reason. Rushdoony traces the development of these Enlightenment ideas that eventually spawned the progressive era in America.

Enlightenment & Scientism

With the Enlightenment, scientism began to govern men’s minds and reorder society (Rushdoony, p. 65). What does this mean in terms of the question, what is the source of law? First, one of the basic premises of the Enlightenment entailed the faith that Reason inheres all the natural universe. Hence, according to Enlightenment thinkers, the laws of reason could be applied to the goal of an orderly society. In the 18th century, mathematics became viewed as the triumphant science. The ideology then was that society could be viewed analogous to physics so that the axioms of Euclidian geometry could be applied to the affairs of government with mathematical precision. Thus according to Enlightenment thinkers, social problems were facing the dawn of a new era that would bring about their resolution. According to Geoffrey Bruun (1929), this ideology represented a confusion between scientific and juristic law.

Consequences for the Social Sciences

If society was to take on the laws of physics for its study and understanding, a rational Newtonian order was seen to imbue all being. (Interestingly, Woodrow Wilson in his ideology of progressivism would abandon Newton for Darwin). The first consequence of this rationalistic worldview was that philosophy divided into rational and empiricist camps. However, both camps, according to Rushdoony, stood on a Cartesian premise that man’s self-consciousness became the ultimate point of reference. The second consequence came with the Enlightenment view of anthropology. Human beings are reduced to being no different than the impersonal movements of atoms. As such they need ordering by those who are scientific experts. Human beings were no longer to be viewed as bearers of God’s image, but imbued with the laws of human nature. This especially became pronounced after Hegel and Darwin. As I stated above, the progressives after Woodrow Wilson would view government in Darwinian terms, in terms of historical relativity rather than foundational principles set by the framers of the Constitution. Cornelius Van Til, Christian theologian and apologist, see the root of the dehumanization of man in these Enlightenment premises (Van Til, 1935). The third consequence of scientism for social human beings is that Christianity and the church become irrational, i.e. they have no place in society. We see the full fruit of this thinking in today’s politics where First Amendment rights of freedom of religion are under attack. Nature has replaced God. The basic necessity is adaptation to the environment (Rushdoony quoting Quain Professor of Comparative Law, p. 67).

The Source of Law

Rushdoony states: Where man and nature become the source of law . . . instead of obeying God’s law, seeing the law as above and over us, law becomes something we express and determine in terms of adaptation to our natural being. This then is alone true law. Christianity and the Bible become then alien to the true and natural order (p. 67). We see today that humanistic ideology can attack the church, seeking to prevent Christians and the church from becoming politically involved. When Christians voice their views against abortion, they are charged with the violation of the separation of church and state (Rushdoony, p. 68-69). Rushdoony concludes: If man and the state are the source of law, it then follows logically that no law from God has any standing in society and will be seen as alien to “liberty”. . . the source of law in any society is the god of that social order. The new god is the state, the modern Molech, and he demands human sacrifices. (p. 69). The question that will be catapulted toward the church is, if Christians believe God is the source of law, then what does that mean for the individual rights of non-Christians? That question is packed with several layers of premises, but it is an important question with which Christians should deal. Rushdoony has said many times, regeneration, not revolution and violence, is the path forward to an awakened society.

Conclusion

Both believer and unbeliever must wrestle with the question of what is the source of law. Rushdoony in this chapter does not mention the rise of progressivism under Woodrow Wilson, then FDR, and finally Lyndon Johnson. Post 1965 witnessed a rejection of some of the progressive principles, bringing forth what has been called a radical liberalism, embracing multiculturalism, the sexual revolution, and the challenge to the structure of the family (Hillsdale College, Constitution 201, The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and The Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism). Wilson ushered in the bureaucratic state, which is alive and thriving today. Its existence undermined the founders idea of separation of powers and consent of the governed. The bureaucratic state, operated by experts who have not been elected know what is better for society and its people. Thus the source of law is the humanistic ideology of man, thrust upon people by the state. This is a battle that Christians must fight, but fight in a way that is Biblical and spiritual, not merely, and for sure not solely, political. God’s sovereignty calls on us to exercise the dominion mandate, taking captive every sphere of life to the reign of Jesus, the Christ. The dominion mandate, spiritually and prayerfully considered, is our path toward a Christian awakening in this country.

References

Bruun, G. (1929). The Enlightenment Despot. New York: Henry Holt.

Rushdoony, R. J. (2007). Sovereignty. [Chapter 11, “The Source of Law”, pp. 65-69]. Vallecito, CA: Chalcedon/Ross House Books.

Van Til, C. (1935). Psychology of Religion. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary.

Online Reference

Hillsdale College Online Courses. Constitution 201: The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and The Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism. Hillsdale, MI: Hillsdale.edu.

John V. Jones, Jr, Ph.D/April 14, 2023

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Introduction

What is Christian Reconstruction? The best way to answer this question is to go straight to source, R. J. Rushdoony and others who are associated with or write for the Chalcedon Foundation. I have taken much of what I’ve written here from the Journal of Christian Reconstruction, 1996 publication. Because Christian Reconstruction has been so maligned and others mimic the caricaturing without having read Rushdoony and others, or if they have, they nick pick or cherry pick rather than present a fair representation of what various authors have said who have written about Christian Reconstruction, it is most important to go straight to the sources regarding this topic.

What Is Christian Reconstruction?

In a vary recent article (October 2022), which can be found on Chalcedon.edu, Mark Rushdoony shares that his father coined the term Christian Reconstruction in 1965. He then provides his own definition of Christian Reconstruction by analogy describing the Christian’s work responsibilities in the Kingdom of God (1). Both Christian Reconstruction and the postmillennial position associated with Christian Reconstruction assume the Holy Spirit is remaking all things in terms of the victory of Jesus Christ and the corresponding defeat of Satan (2). Hence Christian Reconstruction is about Christians’ faithfulness to the duties to which God has called us in whatever sphere we happen to reside, work wise and otherwise. As believers who have set in evangelical and Bible churches, we have all probably heard and have been exhorted to deny ourselves and take up our Cross. But what do these exhortations mean for the believer in Christ? To deny ourselves is to take up the work that God has put before us. And this work, whatever it may be for each Christian, is our cross. To follow Christ is to fulfill our responsibilities in the Kingdom (3). Mark Rushdoony provides a good historical example of someone fulfilling his responsibilities in the person of Johannes Kepler, a 17th century astronomer. When Kepler described his methodology as a scientific astronomer, he proclaimed he approached his work as one thinking God’s thoughts after Him (4). Each Christian has a calling that he must fulfill. Each calling may involve a heavier cross than others. If we follow Christ, we will suffer, but to what extent is in the hands of God’s providence. Whatever work we’re doing in this life, however, we can approach it as Kepler approached his work, thinking God’s thoughts after Him.

What Is Theonomy?

Another idea that has been greatly maligned in the thought of Christian Reconstruction is that of theonomy. What is theonomy? Mark Rushdoony talks about his father’s proposed goal in writing the 3-volume work, The Institutes of Biblical Law. Basically this massive work was proffered by R. J. Rushdoony as God’s way of sanctification of obedience. The process of our sanctification and growth as Christians should lead us to obey the Law of God. Yes, we will fall short, but the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to become more and more like Christ, which is why we look forward to that day when we see Him face-to-face. Although the church has noticed the moral degeneracy of the culture, in many ways we have refused to see the purpose of God’s Law for our lives today. Mark Rushdoony points to the reaction of the church to the early days of homeschooling as an example of how the church compromised with the culture and the State (5). There is still much misunderstanding about theonomy, mostly by those who have not read R. J. Rushdoony, or those who nick pick over eschatological positions. Theonomy is not about our obeying the Law by our own power or about our meriting something before God by keeping the Law. We are to be obedient to God, and that can come only through the power of the Holy Spirit who strengthens our inner being toward our sanctification.

How Is Christian Reconstruction Misunderstood?

As Mark Rushdoony points out in his Chalcedon Report for October 2022, contrary to critics’ claims, it must be pointed out that neither Christian Reconstruction, the dominion mandate, nor the postmillennial eschatology suggest that man is in charge of ushering in the kingdom (6). As stated above, nowhere in Christian Reconstruction literature will one read that Christians are to meritoriously obey the Law of God so as to earn salvation. As believers grow in sanctification, they will by the power of the Spirit become more obedient to God throughout their lives. Regardless of eschatological differences with their different views of the Kingdom of God, we should all be honest in reporting what other believers say about their understanding of how God would have us live in the world while not being of the world.

Conclusion: Some Qualifiers

Qualifiers is probably not a good word for this conclusion. I just want to add here that for most of my Christian life, there were many years when I didn’t know about R. J. Rusdoony’s work whatsoever. I wish I had discovered it earlier. At this point, I would not claim to be a postmillennialist nor a theonomist, but I sure want to know more about those positions. I have obtained my understanding of Scripture in Bible churches that were premillennial in their eschatology. I have not settled on a position as yet, and I’m seventy-five years old. We should hold firmly to what I call the Five Fundamentals of the Faith, and in a highly divisive age, we as Christians need to witness to the world where we draw the line in the sand. Simultaneously, we need to witness to the world how we can agree to disagree with other Christians who hold to the fundamental truths of Scripture without becoming divisive where no such division is required. What I do believe and want to contribute by any work I do is that as Christians in every sphere of life, we do our work as unto the Lord, taking all things captive to the name of Christ. I look forward to learning more about Christian Reconstruction and the dominion mandate.

References

Rushdoony, M.R. (2022). Chalcedon Report October 22: Leaning into the Hard Work of the Kingdom. Chalcedon Foundation: Vallecito, CA. (All references in this Blog come from this source).

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./February 14th, 2023

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Introduction

As we pray, study God’s Word, and face the vicissitudes of life that come at us, Scripture tells us over and over again about the comforts that come with waiting on God. What exactly does it mean to wait on God? What are the comforts and blessings that come when we do wait on God? Is the Fruit of the Spirit, patience, implicated in our waiting on God? If we learn what it truly means Biblically to wait on God, what is God trying to teach us through our waiting on His timing?

The Sovereignty of God

There are many attributes we could study concerning God’s character. God’s sovereignty, however, speaks to who God is in contrast to who man is. God’s sovereignty simply means that God is God. He does what He pleases, when He pleases, how He pleases. It is tempting to qualify this statement with God’s other attributes, so as to not make it sound as if God is whimsical and arbitrary. Nothing God does is antithetical to His holiness and justice. However, let’s stay focused on God’s sovereignty for the moment without moving too quickly to qualify the power and glory that is His being as seen in the simple fact that God is the great I AM. There is nothing that is outside of God’s control. All that happens in the world and to us individually is under His control. Two years ago I experienced a cerebellum stroke that still effects my ability to walk to this day. (I wrote about this experience, beginning here). Obviously, the why question emerged for me, but I’ll probably never have a specific answer to that question, other than it was God’s will that I had the stroke. The important thing for created beings to realize is that no one gives God counsel or advice for what and how He does things. He is sovereign, and He is His own counsel. Two important Books in Scripture can highlight this truth for us: The Book of Job, and Genesis in detailing the life of Joseph. God is God, and He is sovereign over His Kingdom, and rules as He knows best. Waiting of God calls on us to rest in His sovereignty and let things play out as they will. Many times we pray for something, and we want an answer to our prayer to come about immediately, as quickly as possible. Waiting on God requires the Fruit of the Spirit, patience, as well as trusting all the other magnificent and magnanimous attributes of God.

The Providence of God

God’s sovereignty speaks to His absolute control over all that occurs in life. God’s sovereignty is worked out through His providential hand. The stroke I experienced entails God’s providential hand in my life. God teaches us things through the sufferings and difficulties we face in life. God blessed me in displaying His providence at every turn as I worked through the difficulties of that stroke for a full year. Although I believed in God’s sovereignty and providence prior to my stroke, the twists and turns I went through during that time solidified for me God’s providential hand in my life. There was a lot of waiting I had to do, particularly waiting to regain strength, to walk again with the use of a roller and cain, to restore my voice so as to talk again, and to develop my ability to swallow and eat again. I would have preferred all that to have happened overnight, but that’s not the way strokes work. And in many cases it’s not the way God works. I learned a lot during that time about prayer, working hard in rehab, and waiting on God’s good timing. Waiting on God requires us to trust in His providential timing. God hears our prayers. He may not answer them all in the way we would prefer, and some prayers He may answer with a no. But His providential care is for certain.

Patience: A Fruit of the Spirit

I would like to wax eloquently on how I’ve developed patience over the past two years in dealing with this stroke, but if I did, I would certainly be falling into sin. I am one impatient dude. Patience is one of the nine Fruit of the Spirit, delineated in Galatians 5:22-23. Notice, Scripture does not designate them as fruits, but as Fruit. They are one and indivisible. Waiting on God requires us to wait on God’s timing, not ours. There are still things with which I struggle as a result of my stroke. My balance is still not the best, and eating some things can be difficult due to my inability to swallow certain types of food. My left side was affected by the stroke, so I tend to drop a lot of things, which can really test my patience. I have prayed quite often for this Fruit of the Spirit to become manifested in my life. So it too is something for which I have to wait on God to develop within me through His Holy Spirit. There are some truths we can know. God wants for us the blessing that comes with the Fruit of the Spirit. So I know He will answer my prayer for patience in His own way and in His own timing. Waiting on God requires patience because patience requires trust in who God is and what He is all about.

Conclusion: What the Future Holds

Waiting on God to work things out in our lives is no easy task. Patience and trust require faith in who God is. We are promised in Scripture that God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). We are still fallen creatures on this side of life, and it is easy for us to give up on God’s promises. David faced this struggle, stating that he said in haste, I am cut off from before your eyes/Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications/When I cried out to You (Psalm 31:22). I have mentioned on this blog before the idea of Christian Reconstruction as put forth by R. J. Rushdoony who established the Chalcedon Foundation. If we as Christians are to bring every sphere of life captive to Christ, we have to be a patient people, not just because that is a decent character trait to possess, but because patience shows that we believe in the sovereignty and providence of God, that we trust by faith that He will bring about all things in His good timing. And what he will bring about will be Holy, Righteous, and Just, according to all His magnificent attributes.

This nation is going through some difficult times right now. And God judges the nations (Joel 3:1-23). I am not sure what the future holds for us. We face a 31-trillion-dollar debt, which just to say that, is unfathomable as to what it means. We are a nation, grounded in humanism whereby people look to the State for salvation. As believers, we need to pray diligently for this nation. And those prayers will require us to trust by faith in God’s sovereign plan, meaning we must wait on the Lord our God to do what He will do. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage. And He will strengthen your heart; wait, I say wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14).

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./October 14th, 2022

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Introduction

One might say that the notion of truth has fallen on hard times, but actually it has been a long-time coming. We see today the fruits of what was sown beginning in the Enlightenment, working its way into the modernist age. Although rationalism born out the Enlightenment is at odds in many ways with the postmodern age in which we now live, both are the result of humanism. If man is the ultimate measure of all things, then the radical relativism of postmodernism is the result of that presupposition. Spinoza opened the door to postmodernism, whether or not one wants to admit it, in his attack on Biblical truth and the existence of a personal God. Because of at least a Christian consensus, our culture did not feel the full force of the undermining of absolute truth for a couple of centuries. Now we see it in full force in every sphere of life from education to economics, and for sure in the political realm. One only had to listen to Biden’s speech the other night to know that we live in a time of full-blown rhetoric. Lest people think I’m picking on one political party, the same is true about the statements spewed by Trump. Unfortunately, much of the church under the guise of Christianity embraced the modernist form of thought as witnessed by the rise of Neo-Orthodoxy, modernist theology (Barth, etc.), liberation theology, and a segment of the emergent church that denounces the place of doctrine in Christianity. Without truth grounded in a solid foundation, the human creature is rudderless, directionless, and embraces the notion of a meaningless and purposeless universe.

Faith & Analysis Kick Off Time

Over the summer I previewed what was coming in the blog with the name change to Contemplations: Faith and Analysis. The September publication is the beginning of what I pray is a bright future for this blog. I have come to believe that the basic foundation for anything designated as the truth is the Christian faith. In the months ahead, and hopefully longer, I will provide analysis of what is transpiring in our culture and nation from a Christian point of view. Presently, we face a time when just about anything is acceptable other than an Orthodox Christian worldview. Contemplations, moving forward, will draw on a Reformed Christian framework to critique what is occurring in the realm of culture, politics, economics, education, business, the arts, etc. Although I will draw on the works of many Christians, I primarily will base what I write here on R. J. Rushdoony and his thoughts on Christian Reconstruction. Unfortunately, there is a much caricaturing of his position and, thereby, misunderstanding of what Christian Reconstruction is all about. Basically, it comes down to taking captive to Christ all areas of life. Due to Neo-Orthodoxy, and the modernist movements in the church, the concept of Christianity itself unfortunately means a variety of things to people. I will delineate where I’m coming from in this blog article

Reformed Theology

I embrace my faith from the perspective of an Orthodox Reformed theology. What exactly does that entail? There are several elements to my faith that I want to delineate here, but how they apply to an analysis of our culture via faith will come to light only in time across the months through my published blog articles.

Five Fundamentals of the Faith

First, I am Orthodox in that I hold to basic Biblical Christianity. The foundation of my beliefs lies on what I consider the Five Fundamentals of the Faith. These are 1) the eternal existence of the Creator Triune God and His creation ex-nihilo of the universe and all there within, and the Fall of man; 2) the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and the Works of the Holy Spirit; 3) the necessity of the Substitutionary Atonement of Jesus Christ and its apprehension by faith alone; 4) the death, resurrection, ascension, and second coming of Jesus Christ; 5) the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture. The way in which I draw on my faith to critique the present climate of our culture will unfold in the months ahead.

The Five Solas

The Five Fundamentals of the faith delineated above can be somewhat correlated to what are called the Five Solas that emerged out of the Reformation. These are 1) sola fide – faith alone; 2) sola Scriptura – Scripture alone; 3) sola gratia – grace alone; 4) solus Christus – Christ alone; 5) Soli Deo Gloria – to God the glory alone. These Five Solas help sum up the Five Fundamentals of the faith described above.

T.U.L.I.P. Calvinism

As one whose faith is grounded on Orthodox Reformed theology, God’s sovereignty and His providential hand over our lives is at the core of what I believe. Unfortunately, Calvinism is another one of those terms that carries with it much caricaturing and misunderstanding. Hopefully, over the course of time I will make clear how this Reformed view of theology provides a foundation for analysis via faith of our culture and nation. The Five Points (T.U.L.I.P.) of Calvinism are: 1) Total Depravity; 2) Unconditional Election: 3) Limited Atonement: 4) Irresistible Grace; 5) Perseverance or Preservation of the Saints.

Conclusion

The discussion above is only a thin layer of what Reformed theology entails. But it provides a basic starting and kickoff point for establishing a foundation for the analyses that will be forthcoming in the months ahead. Contemplations: Faith & Analysis will provide analyses through various formats – essays, ideas regarding Christian counseling, book reviews, political analyses, discussions of economics, and other formats. We are entering an election season, and this heyday of rhetoric unfortunately fits a postmodern mindset. The goal of Contemplations is to provide a thoughtful analysis of the culture from the perspective of Christian thought, particularly in terms of Christian Reconstruction as described by R. J. Rushdoony and the Chalcedon organization. .

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./September 14th, 2022

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Introduction

In this postmodern age, the idea of a Christian Manifesto may sound like a throwback to a time when the Church prevailed as a political entity, or a time when more people claimed the name of Christian. However, the need is not to return to some idealized past, but to surge forward into the future, thinking in terms of what R. J. Rushdoony calls Christian Reconstruction. For this discussion I will draw on four Chalcedon Reports written by Rushdoony over the years. This blog article is not merely a summary of what Rushdoony has already stated, but a charge to move forward into the future with his ideas of Christian Reconstruction and all that can mean for Christians in this age and the years ahead, whether or not one totally agrees with Rushdoony on every point. The one thing on which we as Christians can all agree is that Jesus Christ is our King, the victory over all of life is ultimately His.

Salvation by Politics

As I stated in last month’s blog article, we live in a political age. We look to the State to meet all our needs and to rescue us from the difficulties that we confront as a part of living. I too harbor guilt for this way of thinking that crept into my life for a number of years. Rushdoony a number of years ago wrote about The Fallacy of Politics (Chalcedon Report 357, April 1995). He stated that one of the truly great evil ideas of the Twentieth Century is that the American people came to see themselves as some kind of victim at the hands of others. Victims tend to be helpless, and so by default they look to others to help them. In a political age, the American people called on the State to save them from their victimhood – whatever they surmised that to be. Consequently, people sought political answers to their dilemmas. Rushdoony pointed out that politics means that a small minority exerts control over the majority. Once the State intrudes into our lives, it will seek to maintain its existence in whatever way it can, including our pocketbooks. Note our present Thirty-trillion dollar debt. Handing over power to the State means topdown control and an ultimate pragmatism on the part of politicians who will sacrifice principles to stay in office. Rushdoony claims that God has made men the primary agent of government (Chalcedon Report 357). If we sacrifice self-government by handing over our lives to the State, then ultimately we destroy ourselves.

Self-Government

This raises the question of what Rushdoony means by self-government. He delineates seven points of self-government in Self-Government Under God, (Chalcedon Report 364, November 1995). First of all, government is the self-government of the Christian man. Second, the basic government institution is the family. Third, for the Christian, the church plays a part in an individual’s government. Fourth, education and the school make up a component of the Christian’s government. Hence, we see the conflict between homeschools/private schools and state schools. Fifth, our vocations govern us. We are to do our work as unto the Lord. Sixth, as members of society, we should meet social expectations where they do not contradict God’s law. And finally, civil government makes up only one part of what is considered government from a Christian perspective. These are the areas that as Christians we must take captive to Christ. When we give our lives over to the State, government becomes and external power that rules over us. Rushdoony states, if self-government is lacking, then no good government can prevail in any sphere (Chalcedon Report 364). We see today a persistent intrusion into the first six components of self-government from the seventh component, civil government or the State. Although now there appears to be more freedom for homeschooling and private schools, these entities had to fight the State for some time to exist. Even today many Christians still send their children to State schools while deploring the content their children receive there. Additionally, those people who homeschool or send their children to private schools are coerced by the State to support State schools via taxation.

The Fundamentals of Statism

In April, 1985, Rusdoony penned Chalcedon Report 237 titled The Ten Fundamentals of Statism. I will summarize what he claimed. First, as citizens we have to realize that the State will seek to maintain its own existence at the expense of the people. This is why it is naive to look to the State for any kind of security, and above all to depend on the State for salvation from life’s daily struggles. Second, although other States are occasional enemies of the State, the people are always enemies of the State. A truly liberated people is not to the State’s benefit. Third, the purpose of taxation is confiscation and control. Note the rise of Executive Privilege over the past decades at the hands of both major political parties. Likewise taxation is about the redistribution of wealth. Fourth, steps to increase State power is always said to be done for the people; however, State power can only increase at the expense of personal liberty. Therefore fifth, the mindset of the State is that freedom is dangerous, but controls are good. Statists always view social problems as due to too much liberty in certain areas. Sixth, freedom must be redefined, especially to counter Christian morality. Seventh, children are the property of the State. Many Statist educators will tell you that children are wards of the State. Note the antagonism toward private education, especially private Christian schools and Christian homeschoolers. Eighth, the State sees church and family as its two primary enemies. Ninth, humanistic education for the most part denies the existence of God and salvation in Christ. Tenth, the State operates in the name of the public. Privacy is a problem to Statist actions and controls. Given these ten fundamentals of the State, Rushdoony delineates what a Christian Manifesto involves.

A Christian Manifesto

Almost exactly a year earlier, Rushdoony authored Chalcedon Report # 225, April 1984, A Christian Manifesto. The manifesto delineates ten points for Christians to act on so as to take captive all spheres of their lives to Jesus Christ. It is also important to realize that the manifesto is not a call for revolution against the State. It is a call to live according to God’s law for those who are in Christ. As such, it represents no coercion or harm to unbelievers who want to live otherwise. But the manifesto does call for Christians to establish their communities in ways that will not be viewed in a friendly manner by the world. As with the Ten Fundamentals of the State, there are ten points to the Christian Manifesto. First, sovereignty is an attribute of God, not of man or the State. God alone is sovereign over all spheres of life. Second, the Bible is given as the common law. The foundation for justice rests on God’s truth. Third, salvation is not by politics, education, or the church. Salvation is by Jesus Christ alone. Fourth, the Machiavellian premise that men at the top can make a good society is a myth, if not an outright lie. Fifth, civil rulers who deny God are in places of power, and thereby make them dangerous. This is also true of Christians who do not live according to God’s law. Sixth, the State is not the government, but only one form of government. (See the paragraph on self-government above). Seventh, if the State equates itself with government, the results is tyranny and evil. Liberty is primarily about freedom from the State. Eighth, the Christian is called to exercise dominion in all spheres of life. Ninth, humanism, man seeking to be his own God, is the way of death. Tenth, all institutions will either serve God or be judged by Him. There is no doubt that the Christian Manifesto as delineated by Rushdoony calls for Christians to be active in all areas of life. Although this may sound threatening to the unbeliever, again, such a manifesto does not call for a violent revolution. The basis for society becoming the good society is regeneration, not rebellion or coercion.

Conclusion

Although the Christian Manifesto is not based on coercion toward those who do not believe in God and Jesus Christ as their savior, Christian morality and God’s Law definitely represent concerns for the unbeliever. It means that Christians may indeed begin a mass exodus from State schools. Given that fact, those who depart from State education will not want to support State schools with their tax dollars anymore than unbelievers would want to financially support Christian schools or private schools. It means that Christians will look to God’s word as foundation for civil law. Note the present response to the SCOTUS overturning of Roe v. Wade. We live in a world where people hold diametrically opposing values. Such opposing values will lead to open confrontation, particularly regarding government and the State. According to the Manifesto, Christians will seek to live out their beliefs in ways that counter many values held by a humanistic society. As stated above, the definition of freedom represents one of the core conflicts between believers and a humanistic society. Christians will not look to the State for their idea of a free society. Indeed, freedom is freedom from the State. More importantly, at the moment, Christians need to think about the Christian Manifesto as a way of taking back their family, economic decisions, and education from the State, looking to self-government and all that entails. Many Christians still send their children to State schools although they deplore what the schools teach their children in terms of moral principles. Whether or not we agree with every theological point of R. J. Rushdoony and his notion of theonomy, there is much he says with which Bible-believing Christians can agree.

[All content is based on the Kendal Edition of Faith and Action by R. J. Rushdoony.]

John V. Jones, Jr, Ph.D., July 14th, 2022

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT