Faith for All of Life Jan/Feb 2008 Editorials 2 from the Founder The
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Faith for All of Life Jan/Feb 2008 Publisher & Chalcedon President Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony Chalcedon Vice-President Martin Selbrede Editorials Columns & Reviews Editor 2 From the Founder 19 Dooyeweerd and Rushdoony Rev. Christopher J. Ortiz The Eschatology of Work Ben House Managing Editor 4 From the President 29 Book Review: Susan Burns What’s Wrong with Being Spiritual? Satanism for Young Readers Contributing Editors His Dark Materials, a trilogy by Features Lee Duigon Phillip Pulman Kathy Leonard 8 The City of God: Readings Lee Duigon Chalcedon Founder in R. J. Rushdoony on the Products Rev. R. J. Rushdoony Christian World Order (1916-2001) Christopher J. Ortiz 33 Catalog Insert was the founder of Chalcedon and a leading theologian, church/ 14 Christ Over All: state expert, and author of numer- The Christian Historian’s ous works on the application of Approach to the Future Biblical Law to society. Roger Schultz Receiving Faith for All of Life: This 23 Thy Commandment magazine will be sent to those who is Exceeding Broad request it. At least once a year we ask Martin G. Selbrede that you return a response card if you wish to remain on the mailing list. Contributors are kept on our mailing list. Suggested Donation: $35 per year ($45 for all foreign — U.S. funds only). Tax-deductible contributions may be made out to Chalcedon and mailed to P.O. Box 158, Vallecito, CA 95251 USA. Chalcedon may want to contact its readers quickly by means of e-mail. Faith for All of Life, published bi-monthly by Chalcedon, a tax-exempt Christian foundation, is sent to all who request If you have an e-mail address, please it. All editorial correspondence should be sent to the managing editor, P.O. Box 569, Cedar Bluff, VA 24609-0569. send an e-mail message including Laser-print hard copy and electronic disk submissions firmly encouraged. All submissions subject to editorial revi- your full postal address to our office: sion. Email: [email protected]. The editors are not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts which [email protected]. become the property of Chalcedon unless other arrangements are made. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Chalcedon. It provides a forum for views in accord with a relevant, active, historic Christianity, though those views may on occasion differ somewhat from Chalcedon’s and from each other. For circulation and data Chalcedon depends on the contributions of its readers, and all gifts to Chalcedon are tax-deductible. ©2008 management contact Rebecca Chalcedon. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint granted on written request only. Editorial Board: Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony, President/Editor-in-Chief; Chris Ortiz, Editor; Susan Burns, Managing Editor and Executive Assistant. Rouse at (209) 736-4365 ext. 10 Chalcedon, P.O. Box 158, Vallecito, CA 95251, Telephone Circulation (9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m., Pacific): (209) 736-4365 or or [email protected] Fax (209) 736-0536; email: [email protected]; www.chalcedon.edu; Circulation:Rebecca Rouse. From the Founder The Eschatology of Work R. J. Rushdoony s has been noted, creature, so that, whether in sin or Godly work is purposive and thus A there is a difference in grace, he is governed by that fact, is governed by an eschatology. Basic to between a hierarchy judged or blessed by it, and surrounded an eschatology is a faith. George Orwell, and an elite. The one is by God’s covenant and law as the condi- in an essay of March 3, 1944, spoke of work oriented, the other tion of his life. The air man breathes is the decline of belief in life after death, privilege and leisure covenantal air. The requirement of the a disbelief he shared. Western culture oriented. For a people to accept the fact covenant is that humanity become one has been built on a faith in God and life of hierarchy means to accept a given body in Christ. The functioning body, after death, heaven and hell. Orwell felt variation of responsibilities in society. Paul reminds us, moves as it is directed that civilization could not be salvaged Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians by the Head, Jesus Christ. Its unity unless man could “evolve a system of 12:3–31; he speaks of the body as one benefits all equally. The joy and victory good and evil which is independent of with many members or parts, all sharing of the Head is at the same time the joy heaven and hell.” The psychological a common life and purpose in Christ. and victory of all its members. difference which disbelief makes for The unregenerate lack such a oneness Life in the hierarchy of the body man Orwell felt is too great to be over- except in sin. The redeemed are still militates against envy, and, in perfec- looked.1 To hold that the individual at given to the divisiveness of sin because tion, precludes it. It should not surprise death perishes forever means that the of their imperfect sanctification, but us that Helmut Schoeck, in his study of only “immortality” is the limited one they also have the Holy Spirit and His Envy (1966), found Christianity alone which collective groups have, most no- call to unity. Their being thus moves to successful in combating the socially tably the state. As a result, the scientific this unity in Christ, and a recognition of destructive force of envy. Envy grasps at state, as the agency which some believe the hierarchy of callings and functions privilege, because it equates life with it. will conquer death and human ills, in Him. It seeks privilege for itself while resent- becomes the de facto god and the sole When we recognize the one body, ing privilege in others. vehicle of ongoing life. The state’s tri- and a hierarchy of functions therein, There is another aspect of impor- umph over sin and death becomes man’s we accept our calling and responsibil- tance here. To accept our place and re- sole hope of escaping the crushing forces ity within it, and we respect the status sponsibility in life and society means to of sin and death. Hence, more power to of others, both “above” and “below” be free of envy and the guilt created by the state. In the eschatology of unbe- us. Such a hierarchical society does not envy. The envious are easily conned into lief, man has a choice between personal preclude change nor rise and fall in guilt; they are made to feel guilty about oblivion and the possible conquest of status, because responsibilities govern the starving people of India, the lot of sin and death by the scientific socialist place, not elitist principles of position. the American Indians, and much, much state. In such a perspective, no prospect The idea of a hierarchy presupposes, more. It should be noted, however, that pleases, because every prospect is vile! among other things, two facts. First, guilt is a paralyzing force. Those conned We began our study of work with a position depends upon God’s authority into guilt are not moved to action. Mis- verse which we can now return to from and order, not man’s. There is a given, sions to Hindus and to American Indi- another perspective, Psalm 126:6: sacred order in all creation. Man’s order ans are almost exclusively by Christians, must seek to follow and be governed by not by guilt-mongers and guilt bearers. He that goeth forth and weepeth, God’s order as set forth in His law-word. Elitism and envy are productive of guilt bearing precious seed, shall doubt- Humanistic concepts of order are thus and inaction. They are also destructive less come again with rejoicing, negated. Second, the Biblical doctrine of of work, because their essence is inac- bringing his sheaves with him. mankind has certain necessary implica- tion, and they are nonproductive social The premise of the verse is a famine tions. Man was created a covenantal forces. situation; the sower takes the “precious 2 Faith for All of Life | January/February 2008 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life seed,” much of the family’s survival The scope of the eschatology of work is made in its own image, and it cannot food, to sow his fields, trusting that nei- thus reduced to an institutional level. tolerate what is the essence of the body, ther storm nor drought will destroy his When work is God-centered, it unity in diversity. Paul asks, “If the crops. In time, his act of faith is blessed, moves in terms of the premise of Psalm whole body were an eye” (1 Cor. 12:17), and he reaps a rich harvest. The impli- 126:6, namely, that the God-given order how could there be any functioning, or cation is that godly faith works with a of creation, as well as the providence of how could there be a body? The illness faith in God’s future. A fallen world, God, works to further all efforts in His of one member or part of the body is sickened by the curse, creates crises name and for His glory. These efforts the illness of all, of the total body (1 such as famine. In such a situation, the and work are more than ecclesiastical. At Cor. 12:26). godly will work under God with a faith least two to four times a month, I hear Some would limit Paul’s metaphor in God’s future, and they shall return, from very able and superior people who, of the body to the church.