Faith for All of Life Nov/Dec 2006

Publisher & Chalcedon President Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony Chalcedon Vice-President Martin Selbrede Editorials Features Editor 2 From the Editor 9 Economy Restored: Rev. Christopher J. Ortiz Paradise Restored, or, A Blueprint for a Biblical Get Back to Your Post! Model of Government Managing Editor Ian Hodge Susan Burns 4 From the Founder Contributing Editors The Paradise Motive 12 Don’t Pray for the Lee Duigon Peace of Babylon Columns Kathy Leonard Mark R. Rushdoony 7 The Restoration of Family Chalcedon Founder 16 The Arrogance Greg Uttinger Rev. R. J. Rushdoony of Utopianism (1916-2001) Timothy D. Terrell was the founder of Chalcedon 30 The Current Trends in the Theonomy Debate and a leading theologian, church/ 24 Contra Imperium: Jacob Aitken state expert, and author of numer- The Christian Case Against ous works on the application of Reviews American Imperialism and Biblical Law to society. the Security/Police State 20 Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Tom Rose Receiving Faith for All of Life: This Dangers of the Christian Right magazine will be sent to those who request it. At least once a year we ask by Rev. Dr. Mel White that you return a response card if you Martin G. Selbrede wish to remain on the mailing list. Year-End Contributors are kept on our mailing Products SALE list. Suggested Donation: $35 per Save 30% on year ($45 for all foreign — U.S. funds 33 Catalog only). Tax-deductible contributions Everything may be made out to Chalcedon and Thru Jan. 12th 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 your full postal address to our office: revision. Email: [email protected]. The editors are not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts [email protected]. which 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 For circulation and data other. Chalcedon depends on the contributions of its readers, and all gifts to Chalcedon are tax-deductible. ©2006 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. F r o m t h e E d i t o r Paradise Restored, or, Get Back to Your Post! Christopher J. Ortiz

n 1986 I borrowed a structionist, and none of my constitu- Eden—the fullness of blessing for God’s Istrange book from a ency had the slightest idea what I was creation. friend who assured me talking about. This is also the power of law-keep- that my life was about to ing: it is obedience for the purpose of be radically changed. I’d Eschatology and Obedience blessing. Though we are in danger of heard that before. Every As my theology, like leaven, worked losing sight of this meaning, the Pauline book promised such glorious transfor- its way through the lump, I soon found doctrine of theonomy provokes our re- mation, but usually left little to no major no peaceful coexistence within my membrance with simplicity and clarity: circle of influence. The fulcrum had revisions in my faith. However, this book Children, obey your parents in the shifted. I discarded the soiled garments was different, and my friend was correct: Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father of arminianism and no longer saw I was about to be floored. and mother; which is the first command- value in the “deeper life” teaching of The book was the late David Chil- ment with promise; That it may be well mainstream Charismaticism. It became ton’s Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theol- with thee, and thou mayest live long on difficult to find common ground with ogy of Dominion. It had an odd cover the earth. Eph. 6:1–3 depicting one of those masterful illustra- most Christians because our philoso- Long life for the righteous is a clear tions so often used by the Dominion phies concerning history were literally allusion to the days of Eden; and the Press books—an image of a golden “worlds” apart. restoration comes via the fulfillment of mountain, waterfalls, and colorful wa- The primary difference was that I commandments in history. The apostle ter-sprinkled foliage. Just the cover itself now had a philosophy of history. Time is here demonstrating the proper use of was revolutionary. Most books on the and history suddenly mattered. Where the “two-edged” sword of God’s law- “end-times” featured mushroom clouds history was headed held severe impli- word: commandment and promise—a or a fiery globe. This one displayed a cations for how I functioned in the usage much needed today to help avoid vision of paradise that, along with the present, and I was ready to embrace my the pitfalls of hyper-Charismaticism and title, confronted me immediately with responsibility. its emphasis upon promise, or the legal- its obvious thesis: that God was not Postmillennialism was an inescap- ism of certain conservative churches and going to end the world tomorrow, but able concept for me. How could the their man-centered doctrines of holi- rather restore it to Edenic glory. world ever belong to the wicked one? ness. Our doctrine should encourage Since I was raised in a non-Chris- However, I was using the term to a joyful obedience to God’s law with a tian home, I did not have much to convey a progressive transformation certain expectation that He will reward unlearn. I admit that I did accept the of society more so than simply defin- the diligent seeker (Heb. 11:6). third-grade eschatology of the im- ing the time of Christ’s return. I think minent last days, but I was inherently most people do. My concern remains Sinful Man Desires Paradise an optimist. I was also a Charismatic. the development of the Kingdom of on His Own Terms Therefore, anything that hinted at God in history, i.e., the reign of Christ in Collectively, modern man is also Christian advancement appealed to me. every sphere. involved in a millennial pursuit of para- By the time I reached the tenth But even this phrase is becoming dise. He longs for the day when conflict chapter, I was converted. And, yes, trite. I say it almost habitually. The will give way to peace and lack will everything changed; and things would idea of the manifested reign of Christ make room for abundance. But let us continue to change as my theology in every sphere of life is now defined as not be fooled by this superficial utopia. developed. Beyond eschatology it would “Christian domination” without any His desire is a paradise free from labor, be the Reformed faith and theonomy reference to the paradise motif. Yet, the since the idea of work is no Eden for that would reengineer my entire think- issue in eschatology is restoration, not him. Rather, his idea of paradise is the ing. I had become a Christian Recon- domination. It’s the bringing back of stuff of legend and lore wherein a male-

2 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life dominated bliss is gorged with gluttony spite God’s charge to “dress and keep” though Christ has redeemed us from and immoral fantasy. the garden (Gen. 2:15), Adam left his the Fall, we also remain hidden among For the Muslim, the martyr’s reward responsibility after violating God’s di- the trees due to guilt and bad theology. is a palace full of virgins—certainly rect command to avoid the prohibited What are the implications for history no paradise for the seventy-two young tree (v. 17). In other words, “Where are if each one of us moves just a few yards women marked for sexual slavery. For you, Adam? Why are you not where I away from our respective responsibilities? the dispensationalist Christian, paradise placed you?” Get Back to Your Post is a new millennium with Christ seated Adam knew he was naked and hid I must admit that I am still some- upon a throne in Palestine in daily com- from the intimidating voice of God what Charismatic in my approach to munion with the restored Jewish people. moving through the trees. Man became faith. I imagine you are as well. I still For the social Darwinist, paradise is the conscious of sin, and life decisions were believe that God is desirous to answer one-world order of steel and stone hewn now governed by guilt and fear. And prayer. Don’t you? I believe James when from the transformed tools of war. This these guilt-ridden decisions would not he says that God responds to faith and is best represented in the original idyllic be made in favor of responsibility and 1 spurns doubt (James 1:6–7). I am also vision of the United Nations. dominion—Adam was now evading the convinced that “the prayer of faith shall Whether in heaven or earth the call of God. drive to paradise pushes man to re- save the sick” when the sinner repents make the world in his own terms. He is The Latent Power of Guilt (James 5:15). redeeming the time to make the days evil. Guilt, like depression, is a paralyz- However, I have cast off the selfish There is no desire in him to fashion the ing emotion. It neutralizes talented reasons for answered prayer. If God heals world in terms of God’s will, for a God- people who would otherwise strive to or restores an individual, it is for His ordained paradise requires responsibility great ends in pursuit of their callings. own purpose, not ours. If He heals you, to God and His Word. But without They dismiss themselves as unquali- His intent is for a restoration to your Christian dominion, humanistic para- fied, undeserving, or condemned, like calling. The objective of salvation, or dise is free to pursue its dark future by a condemned building that is declared restoration, is for godly rule, not merely default. Therefore, the Christian must “unfit for use.” the avoidance of eternal punishment.2 awaken to the call to world transforma- In the case of Adam, guilt removed What is the conclusion, then? Get tion. The Christian must “get back to him from his garden stewardship. This back to your post! Cast off the guilt, sin, his post!” was the immediate objective of the confusion, and indecision that keep you serpent. The Kingdom of God was un- cowering among the trees. Your engage- When Adam Left His Post dermined, and dominion man was now ment in your calling has eternal implica- And the LORD God called unto hiding among the trees—neutralized. tions, and all of heaven is in support of Adam, and said unto him, Where art The guilt was overwhelming, and the mission you may be avoiding: thou? Gen. 3:9 near impossible to escape. Once awak- Wherefore seeing we also are com- Little mention is made of this text ened, Adam could not suppress the guilt passed about with so great a cloud of by commentators. I find this surprising. by hiding among the trees, so he added witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and Most of the textual examination centers a layer of “fig leaves” as aprons (Gen. the sin which doth so easily beset us, and on the Hebrew definition of called as 3:7). But that too was insufficient. Even let us run with patience the race that is set the “crackling sound.” But I find it his shifting of the blame to God and before us. Heb. 12:1 interesting that God asks the question, Eve (v. 12) was a vain attempt at adding “Where art thou?” more layers to cover his shame. 1. Rushdoony writes, “We will either fail to understand the U.N. or to cope with God knew the whereabouts of This is what we now refer to as the it unless we recognize that it is religious “Fall of Man.” A simple transition of Adam. Of this we can be quite certain. in inspiration and a religious necessity for It is my contention that God is ask- Adam from the center of the garden just humanism, for the religion of humanity.” ing for a larger reason than geography. a few yards over to the trees can have Politics of Guilt and Pity (Vallecito, CA: Ross It appears that when the Lord lighted apocalyptic and eternal implications! House Books, 1970), 185–186. upon man’s appointed place, Adam was This event redirected the mission of his- 2. R. J. Rushdoony, Salvation and Godly “absent without leave.” He abandoned tory to the restoration of paradise rather Rule (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, his post, his place of assignment. De- than the expansion of paradise. And even 1983).

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 3 F r o m t h e F o u n d e r R.J. Rushdoony

The Paradise Motive (Reprinted from Revolt Against Maturity [Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 1987], 52-59).

ccording to Robert Ardrey, “Man is life must be social, and Augustine agrees, existing condition and allows its exten- Aa bad-weather animal, designed for “For how could the city of God ... either sion, and conversely, if there is neither storm and change.”1 This opinion rests take a beginning or be developed, or peace nor order in the life of the man, on Ardrey’s belief that “man is a preda- attain its proper destiny, if the life of the marriage will increase the scope of his dis- tor whose natural instinct is to kill with saints were not a social life?” But man, order. Similarly, men carry their sins and a weapon.”2 The premise being false, because of his sin, cannot live in peace disorders into the political state, and the the conclusion is in error also. Man is with his fellow man. Even in the close state cannot give them and their social not a predatory animal. If he sometimes and loving ties of marriage, community life a character they themselves lack. thrives in bad weather, it is because he turns to warfare, and the pagan “comic The dream of man, however, is to is jarred out of his complacency in sin. writers” make their characters express make his disorder the grounds of a new The root of progress is not trouble but unhappy sentiments about marriage order, to make his sin the new virtue, grace. If “bad weather” or trouble made as being misery. The home too often and to indulge himself in perfect peace. for progress, China, India, and Africa becomes a scene of warfare and grief. The Kalevala gives us a pagan expression should have assumed world leadership If, then, home, the natural refuge from of this supposedly idyllic dream: centuries ago. all the ills of life, is itself not safe, what The virgins of the island speak, the Man, having been created by God, shall we say of the city, which, as it is maidens of the headlands ponder larger, is so much the more filled with was created for the Kingdom of God, “We have house to come to, spacious lawsuits civil and criminal, and is never farmsteads to live in, to take your songs for a perfect society under God. His free from the fear, if sometimes from to from out of the cold, to bring your first home was the Garden of Eden, and the actual outbreak, of disturbing and what can be called an urge to paradise bloody insurrections and civil wars?4 words in from outdoors.” Then as soon as reckless Lemminkainen remains in his nature. The myths of Centuries of marital failures have most peoples recall a “golden age” or came into the house he sang the stoups not discouraged men from marrying in from farther off toward his end of the an original paradise, and the politics of the hopes of finding happiness and true most peoples have as their motive force a long deal table, stoups full of beer, beau- community in a family. The urge is not tiful pots of mead, dishes spilling over, drive to create a new paradise on earth. simply sexual: it is an urge to establish bowls brimful. The urge to establish a paradise on an order and a community, not merely Stoups of beer, pots of mead were earth is governed, however, by the real- to find sexual relief. indeed brought, butter was put in the ity of the Fall and the fact of sin. As a Similarly, the political failures have readiness and pork put there for reckless result, the political version of the dream, not ended political hopes. Men continue Lemminkainen to eat, for the man with the Kingdom or City of Man, has as its to seek a paradise on earth by a variety of a far-roving mind to enjoy. motive the desire to be as god, knowing means, of which politics is a central one. The man with a far-roving mind is very good and evil (Gen. 3:5). St. Augustine, The fallacy in these attempts is their grand, nor does he start to eat without a in The City of God, traces the history of evasion of the primacy and sovereignty silver-hilted knife, a gold sheath knife. that perverted motive and its disastrous of God. Politics is an area of order, not He got a silver knife, sang up a gold consequences for man. Sovereignty, the the means to order and peace. A man sheath knife; then he eats his fill, drank attribute of God, has become a goal of and woman who are at peace with God beer to his contentment. men and nations. As a result, “This lust and with one another can establish godly Then reckless Lemminkainen strolled of sovereignty disturbs and consumes the order in marriage because they bring or- about the communities enjoying the human race with frightful ills.”3 The pa- der and peace to the marriage. Marriage virgins of the island in the lovely bevy of gan thinkers themselves assert that man’s simply gives greater scope for the already those with luxuriant hair.

4 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life Wherever he turned his head then his make it identical with Marxist social- and Eve in the Garden of Eden decided mouth was quickly kissed, wherever he ism.6 In the name of championing man, that their homeland was not paradise reached out his hand then his hand was such people become the enemies of all but a prison because they were restricted gently pressed. men who dare to dissent from their posi- from transgressing God’s law. The law Evenings he went out for some fun in tion. Kotarbinski can baldly say, “The was practically manifested in a bar with the pitch dark. term ‘for the people,’ ‘for the individual’ respect to one tree; in principle, that There was not a community in which must be used in the universal sense if restriction meant that man had to chose there were not ten farms nor was there they are to characterize the attitude of God’s law-word as against man’s law- a farm in which there were not ten humanism. But what do we mean by word. The whole point of the tempta- daughters, not that daughter, not that the words ‘universal sense’? We mean tion was that paradise would begin with mother’s child by whose side he did not stretch out, press down the arm. that we are not referring to separate and man’s assertion of his autonomy and distinct individuals or to certain spe- his “authentic humanity” in defiance of He knew a thousand brides, lay with a cific groups of people but to people in law (Gen. 3:1–6). The urge to paradise hundred widows. general and to Man in general.”7 This is was now anti-God and antinomian, There were not two in ten, three in a the same as saying that I love my idea of and hell is simply the consummation of whole hundred maids who were not had, widows not lain with. man, but I hate my neighbor and must man’s autonomous urge to paradise. In kill him since he violates my concept of hell, man in total isolation from God Thus indeed reckless Lemminkainen what a man should be. The principle of and other men lives entirely to himself, lives in an easygoing way all of some three summers in the big communities definition is located in man rather than without community, communication, of the island. in God; reality is then what the man- or meaning, as his own world and god. He delighted the virgins of the island, god defines it to be. The gospel then Autonomous man’s urge to paradise thus satisfied all the widows, too.5 is not God’s redemption of man but has its conclusion finally in hell. man’s redemption of himself by severing In godly men, the urge to paradise When men dream of being god, every tie that would bind him to God. expresses itself in faith and obedience: their only attitude towards all other “Authentic humanity” becomes defined “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book people and things is to use them to their as a God-free humanity. Thus, Dr. Lewis it is written of me,) to do thy will, O advantage and profit. The result is not B. Smedes of Fuller Theological Semi- God” (Heb. 10:7). In these words, the paradise but hell, not peace on earth but nary summons men to “preach Christ Messiah-King, as the new Adam, express- conflict and warfare. This, however, only as the reclaimer of man’s lost humanity.” intensifies their hunger for paradise, but es the principle whereby He leads men But man cannot be said to have lost his since their only means of achieving it is into their Sabbath rest, the true paradise by means of their lust for sovereignty, humanity in the Fall without violence or promised land (Heb. 4). “The King their very hunger for paradise pushes to Scripture. Man was man both before acknowledges a definite standard of the them deeper into hell on earth. and after the Fall; the difference was that will of God, before He undertakes to aim Nowhere is the lust for sovereignty he became a sinful man. Smedes writes, at fulfilling it ... The Law which fore- more marked than in men who pro- “The world does not need a message shadowed the duties of a King of Israel 9 fess peace, humility, and a democratic about a Savior who will do no more was the rule of the King’s life.” methodology. Their concept of peace than turn us all into uptight, all-white, The work of restoration begins with and democracy means their ascendancy. middle-class, comfortable champions of Christ’s atonement, salvation by sov- “Power to the people” means power to the law, order, and proper religion. What ereign grace. Reconstruction proceeds them as the incarnation of the people. the world needs is the gospel of One with man’s obedience to God’s law. The Thus, Professor Tadeusz Kotarbinski, a who can restore men to total and au- paradise of Revelation is both garden Marxist scholar, has defined the human- thentic humanity—no more, no less, no and city (Rev. 21:1–22:5). It is the ist (who is therefore a socialist and the other.”8 A mythical Christ is thus made restoration and fulfillment of both man true man) in these terms: “The attitude the Adam who successfully frees man and his world. of humanism is assumed by one who from God into an “authentic humanity” Because the urge to paradise today is strives toward a given objective because which is antinomian and autonomous. divorced from God and His law-word, he believes that it is for the good of the The urge to paradise in fallen man its application and development in one people.” He then defines this good to is therefore an antinomian urge. Adam continent after another only intensifies

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 5 Faith for All of Life the problems and miseries of men. Both The humanistic dream of paradise is 5. The Kalevala, or Poems of the Kaleva Dis- the Fall of man and the redemption of inescapably coercive, because it requires trict, comp. Elias Lonnrot, prose translation, man are progressive actions. Christ by a humanity to exist in that dreamed-of foreword, appendices by Francis Peabody His death and resurrection destroyed the order which has little relationship to Magoun, Jr. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1963), 210. power of sin and death and reestablished existing man. Since man is God’s crea- ture, not man’s, man is simply incapable 6. Tadeusz Kotarbinski, “Socialist Human- man’s dominion in and under God, ism,” in Poland no. 4 (200), April 1971, 31. “But now we see not yet all things put of becoming the new model man of 7. Idem. under him” (Heb. 2:8). The victory was humanistic dreams. However much he is educated, brainwashed, coerced, and 8. Lewis B. Smedes, “A Modest Proposal won in principle on the cross; it will be to Reform the World,” in The Reformed threatened, he remains, in spite of all completed when “the last enemy,” death, Journal, February 1971; cited in “Credibility is itself destroyed (1 Cor. 15:20–28). his fears and all his efforts to please his Gap,” The Standard Bearer, vol. XLVII, no. The Fall too is progressive. Between tormentors, God’s creature still. Man 13, April 1, 1971, 294–295. Adam and Noah, the decline and de- is created in the image of God, not in 9. Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistle to the struction was great, and from Abraham’s the image of the state or of the cov- Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, [1892], enant-breaker’s dreams. Coercion and day to Ezra’s, the world saw the inten- 1952), 311. violence can harm man, but they cannot sification of man’s Fall. The twentieth remake him. Because the humanist century has seen vaster destruction and cannot remake man, in spite of all his far more extensive degeneracy than coercive efforts, his every effort to create other centuries, because evil has been a humanistic paradise becomes an ugly more mature, and also because human nightmare and a failure. progress itself gives fallen man greater Whereas the means to paradise scope and power in the manifestation of regained for fallen man is outer coer- his depravity. cion and persistent violence, the means On the one hand thus, godly God uses to restore man and the earth man’s urge to paradise leads to the new to their original destiny is an inward or creation; on the other, man’s sinful urge inner coercion, regeneration. By God’s to a paradise without God leads to the grace man is recreated in Jesus Christ totality of hell. and made a new creature. Because As we have noted, the fallen man’s salvation is entirely by God’s sovereign urge to paradise is antinomian, whereas grace, it is coercive, but it is a coercion the covenant man’s urge to paradise is by comparable to the process of birth, a means of God’s law. A further con- deliverance into life, or, better, it is com- trast can be noted. As fallen men seek parable to resurrection. Man is released to establish their concept of paradise, from bondage, that he might serve and their means of establishing paradise enjoy God forever. He can then say is violence and coercion, revolution with David in Psalm 56:13 (in Moffatt’s and totalitarian controls. In the name version), “[F]or thou hast saved my life of man’s salvation, humanistic man from death, my feet from stumbling, crucifies mankind on the cross of his that I might live, ever mindful of God in controlled order. Because even totalitar- the sunshine of life.” ian controls are failing to create the new 1. Robert Ardrey, African Genesis (New York: model man of humanism, the dream Atheneum, 1961), 327, cf. 270, 330. increasingly is of dispensing with the old 2. Ibid., 316. mankind that God created. A new race 3. Augustine, The City of God, bk. 3, chap. is to be created by biological sciences, by 14, trans. Marcus Dods (New York: Modern tampering with the genetic code and by Library, n.d.), 86. means of like hopes. 4. Ibid., bk. XIX, chap. 5, 681.

6 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Guest Column The Restoration of the Family Greg Uttinger

here’s a telling scene In each case the goal of Biblical Asking Too Much Tat the beginning of counseling should be changed. The The family is fallen. Or more accu- Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear ignorant need to learn; the disobedi- rately, each one of us is fallen, and there Window. Stella, an insur- ent need to repent; those who receive is nothing in the structure of the family ance company nurse, counsel or encouragement need to act that can undo that. Marriage is not a scolds a wheelchair- on it. In other words, counseling should sacrament; infant baptism does not bound L. B. Jefferies for not getting seri- produce quick and visible results; when regenerate. Covenant children are not ous about marriage. She objects in blunt it doesn’t, something is probably wrong. automatically bound for heaven. True language to the psychological approach And sometimes overmuch counseling love does not transform the soul. A fam- that moderns take to marriage. They can be a pious cloak for simple rebel- ily, even a Christian family, is a collec- “read a lot of books, fence with a lot of lion. The man caught up in perpetual tion of sinners living in a very confined four-syllable words, psychoanalyze each counseling sessions never has to deal space. That can be messy. We do much other,” she complains. “When I married decisively with his sins. harm if we ask too much of the family. Myles,” she says, “we were both a couple Peter and Paul could have writ- The pursuit of perfection, the insistent of maladjusted misfits. We are still ten large manuals on marriage and the desire for a storybook family, will leave maladjusted, and we have loved every family. They didn’t. Each contented us either in terrible disillusionment or minute of it.” Perhaps Stella was on to himself with some background theology in vicious hypocrisy. It just depends on something. A psychological mindset can and a few simple commands. Husbands how honest we are. complicate, even destroy, the most basic are to love their wives sacrificially, Paul Consider the families we meet in of human relationships. says—“even as Christ also loved the Scripture. In Abraham’s we find polyg- But the cult of psychology has cast church.” Wives are to respect their amy; in Isaac’s, rank favoritism, sibling its shadow over the church as well. We husbands and submit to them “as unto rivalry, and profanation of the covenant. have lots of books on marriage, lots of the Lord.” Fathers must not provoke In Jacob’s all this was multiplied—by books on parenting, and (even so) lots their children to wrath, but “bring them four wives and twelve sons. David’s of families with lots of problems. Maybe up in the nurture and admonition of the family was torn apart by adultery, incest, one of our problems is that we overana- Lord.” Children are to honor and obey rape, fratricide, and high treason. Even lyze. We read book after book. We fence their parents. All this from Ephesians 5 within our Lord’s family, there were with four-syllable words. We speculate and 6.2 In 1 Corinthians Paul spends a younger brothers who didn’t believe, about motivations and intentions. We try few verses to tell spouses not to defraud who openly mocked the Son of God. Which of these families should we take to read the heart, something only God one another sexually (1 Cor. 7:3–5); as our model? Which is good enough, can do. But the divorce rate within the then he goes on to discuss divorce, re- pure enough? And yet God used each church continues to pace that of those marriage, and staying single. And in his 1 of these families in powerful ways to outside the church—about 35 percent. First Epistle, Peter adds a bit more about advance His Kingdom and His purposes husbands and wives, but altogether he The Role of Counseling in the earth. God obviously doesn’t need only uses seven verses. Certainly there is a place for Biblical perfect families to bring His Kingdom It seems the apostles’ first concern counseling within the church. Some to men. Christians don’t know the Word of God wasn’t analysis and understanding, but very well; they need instruction. Some obedience to God. While Paul and Substantial Healing don’t want to obey it; they need their Peter make no promises of perfection, But shouldn’t Christian homes be rationalizations gently stripped away. they seem to think that quite ordinary better—happier, holier—than pagan Some simply need a bit of wise counsel Christians can have happy and fruitful homes? Yes, they should. For resurrec- or encouragement. marriages. Fancy that. tion life works in every child of God.

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 7 Faith for All of Life We are united to Jesus Christ and The husband must love his wife not provoke their children to anger or indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We are freed sacrificially (Eph. 5:25–33). He must lay discourage them in the process (Eph. from sin to serve God as those alive down his life to nourish and cherish her. 6:1–4; Col. 3:21). While Christian dis- from the dead (Rom. 6). But we must The standard here is Christ’s own sacrifi- cipline and nurture involve a great deal, distinguish between perfection and cial love for His church. This is a daily the heart of the matter is simple. Fathers godliness, between the “home beautiful” business. Initiative, communication, must humbly and patiently teach their mentality and the perseverance of the and service must become a way of life. children the Word of God. Mothers saints. Francis Schaeffer spoke of “sub- More than that, the man must rejoice in must help (Prov. 1:8). Aside from Christ stantial healing” in personal relation- his wife, romantically and sexually, and Himself, Scripture is the most valuable ships.3 That’s exactly it. Not a perfect he must be faithful (Prov. 5:3–20). thing God has given us. It is truth; it is marriage, not an ideal family, but real The wife must submit to her hus- life. It is the law of our King. We must change and growth towards wholeness, band (Eph. 5:22–24, 33). The pattern is teach it to our children diligently and godliness, and peace. Christian homes the church’s submission to Christ. The daily (Deut. 6:6–9). We must teach it can be happy and fruitful. Here, again, wife must follow her husband’s lead and as a book, as a system of truth, and as are some of the basic instructions the help him in his calling (Gen. 2:18). She a way of life. We must teach it by word 6 Bible gives us. must be ready with counsel and en- and example. This isn’t easy. In fact, it’s couragement. She must guard the home challenging and time consuming. But How Shall We Then Live? the fruits are eternal. We must not make marriage or (Titus 2:5) so that her husband may family an idol. The Lord alone is God. more freely pursue his call to dominion. In the Spirit’s Power He is our Savior, our Life, and our Joy. She must respect her husband—“rever- Can we do all this? Not perfectly. If we put our marriage or family in His ence” is the Biblical word. Sarah called Not in the flesh. But through the fin- place, we will destroy it. Abraham “lord,” we are told; that is, she ished work of Christ and in the power 4 God ordained the family in the spoke and thought of him with respect. of His Holy Spirit, we can begin. We context of man’s call to dominion (Gen. Peter commends to us her example can act in faith and walk in love. And 1:26–28, 2:15–25). Since no two men (1 Pet. 3:6). when we fail, we can repent and ask have exactly the same calling, no two Furthermore, both husband and forgiveness—both of God and of our marriages, no two families, will look wife must do what God has com- spouse or children. “Except the LORD exactly alike. If we miss this, we can do manded because God has commanded build the house, they labour in vain great harm. It is all too easy to jump on it. The issue is not personal fulfillment that build it,” the psalmist tells us (Ps. the latest religious bandwagon, to iden- or success or happiness. Husband and 127:1). Christian homes are products of tify with the latest fad or faction that wife alike are to live by every Word of divine grace, nothing less. And therefore offers a quick fix for serious spiritual God (Matt. 4:4). The husband may not our homes must be full of the gospel problems. There’s safety in numbers, abandon love because he finds his wife and full of prayer. We must trust God; and fleshly confidence in bland unifor- unlovely; the wife may not throw off we must rest in Jesus Christ. mity. But as we come to understand the respect because her husband has failed So away with psychoanalysis. Away unique calling God has laid on our own to earn it. Each must keep covenant with dreams of the ideal family. Let’s family, we can move ahead with a clearer with God regardless of the other spouse’s love the family God has given us and sense of direction, with real spiritual track record; each must trust God for trust Jesus Christ to accomplish His confidence, and less stress and strain all the outcome.5 purposes in our frail and faulty lives. But there’s more. To most mar- the way round. We can find great joy Greg Uttinger teaches theology, history, and and contentment in being what God riages, God gives children. They are a literature at Cornerstone Christian School in made us to be. blessing and a trust. They are arrows Roseville, California. He may be contacted The structure of marriage, however, shot into the future, cornerstones upon at [email protected]. is the same for everyone. We are not al- which God will build palaces (Ps. 127:4, lowed to reinvent the institution for our 144:12). 1. “Born Again Christians Just As Likely to Divorce As Are Non-Christians.” The Barna own convenience. God’s commands are Fathers must, therefore, bring Update, September 8, 2004, www.barna.org. what they have always been. And they up their children in the nurture and are good (Gen. 1:31). admonition of the Lord; but they must Continued on page 32

8 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Feature Article

Economy Restored: A Blueprint for a Biblical Model of Government Ian Hodge

e all know some- The same debate is necessary in It is apparent that in Eden there was no Wthing is wrong consideration to a Biblical economy. Can need for human government. God was with the economy. But the government do anything it likes un- in direct contact with His creation, and how would it look once less it is expressly forbidden in the Bible? Adam and Eve were quite capable of it was put right? Would Or must it confine itself to those things taking leadership from Him. there really be little or that are clearly defined in Scripture? The Fall, however, changed this. no taxation? Would money be gold and Take the example of the ambulance Now man’s desire was to be his own silver, or paper and plastic as it is in most service. There is no particular command god, making up his own rules. The parts of the world today? Is negligence in the Bible that says the government Creator God could take a backseat a legitimate ground for fraud? What should operate the ambulance service, from now on. His rules were no longer would happen to Medicare and Medic- as governments do in many parts of the needed. Man had come of age. aid? And would the civil authorities have world. On the other hand, there is no In addressing this problem, the the power of eminent domain? express prohibition in the Bible that it problem of sin, the Bible is quite clear. Consider, for example, Enron. Not should not do this. Because there is no It is God’s law that defines righteousness the company, but what it has come to prohibition, would it be legitimate for and justice. It is God who determines stand for. Corporate crime. Or, at the the government to run the ambulance the boundaries of what men may and very least, corporate mismanagement. service? may not do, and what they should and Promises to investors and shareholders How you read the Bible, then, will should not do. that cannot be met and could never have govern the kind of answers you come In Eden, however, even after the been met at the time they were made. up with in defining a Biblical economy. Fall, there was no civil government And Enron is known not because it is a It is the perspective of this writer that established by God. Only in the exposi- unique situation, but because the num- the Regulative Principle approach is the tion of the law in Exodus, for example, bers of people and the amount of money only way that the priority of the family do we see the pattern of civil govern- involved were huge. can be maintained and property rights ment established. It had a limited role, to punish evil. It was not a legislative Presuppositions: can be established in favor of the family. role; it was not an administrative role; The Regulative Principle This way of thinking, incidentally, it did not provide services of any kind In order to address these issues, how- is not new. The principle of federalism except one: judiciary. And even in this it ever, it is imperative to clear the air over is built on the notion that a constitu- was limited, with the people themselves one important presupposition. Everyone tion is a limiting document. It limits the required to participate in the apprehen- agrees that somehow the Bible contains government to do those things and only sion and punishment of those violating answers to the issues that define a Chris- those things that are expressly set down the law of God. tian economy. But how the Bible ought in the constitution. In countries such to be read is a critical consideration. as the U.S.A. or Australia today, this A Biblical Economy For example, in the debate of the issue is quite prominent, as new inter- The key headlines of the Biblical Regulative Principle, the question is pretations of the constitutions of those economy are thus the moral require- whether or not those things that are nations are offered to allow the federal ments that fall out of the Ten Com- done in a worship service should be spe- governments to do things that were mandments. First, the necessity of cifically defined in Scripture, or whether never conceived by the founding fathers. complete honesty in business dealings. things can be included that have not When you read the Bible, you can- This is key to any economy. Even in a been specifically excluded in Scripture. not help but come to this conclusion. Biblical economy, man’s knowledge is at

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 9 Faith for All of Life best limited. People might have good in- has occurred, the making of unwarrant- If this is the limited role of govern- tentions, but negligence can and should ed or false claims about an enterprise or ment, then it is not so easy to see why have a role to play in any economy. its management and using that to attract there is no taxation as we know it for Negligence can have different investment capital. And their role would the political state in Scripture. Now aspects. We might not intend to break be to implement the principle of restitu- there were lots of payments in the Old a person’s leg, but if our negligence in tion so that those who mislead might Testament of one kind or another. But some way causes it, should we be liable be held responsible for their misleading they were invariably tithes or atone- for the expense involved in having it advice. ment payments. Even the poll, or head, treated? A person might have the best The restitution laws of Scripture tax was not a tax to government. It was intentions when asking others to invest establish the idea that at the end of the atonement money paid by those who in his business venture, but if he is day we are responsible in some way to reached a certain age. The fixed amount negligent in the claims about the busi- help our neighbor keep what he has. If nominated by God did not go to pay ness prospects, or negligent in omitting we steal, then we must repay what we for civil services; it was to be used in the certain key points that eventually cause stole. If we are negligent—intentionally tabernacle of meeting (Exod. 30:11–16). the investors’ loss, should the business- or otherwise—we are still responsible It is difficult to get from this picture man be held accountable for the loss of to make sure we don’t disadvantage our to the idea that somehow the govern- the investors? Does caveat emptor mean neighbor in any way. ment should have money for public edu- that the Biblical entrepreneur is exempt Second, however, is the deeper ques- cation, health, roadwork, and national from negligence issues? tion of who should operate this Depart- security. Again, do we look for those Can a business owner claim that the ment of Securities. There is no reason things expressly commanded, or those value of his shares is $10 when the mar- that this needs to be a function of the not prohibited? ket says they are worth $0? Or rather, state. It could—and should—be an ac- Given there is an identified role for should he make such a claim when this tivity of the free market. There is a need. judicial judgment somewhere in the abstraction called the market disagrees Individuals could provide this service. community, how should these services with him? After all, doesn’t the free mar- But who will enforce private judg- be paid for? It seems the Bible is silent ket economy allow each of us to have a ments? There is clearly a role here for on an express command. Therefore, we subjective opinion that may be radically government, not as prime investigator, can only conclude that those who make different from the next person’s? but as enforcer of judgments that are use of the service should be the ones to The answer to this one is simple. handed down in private arbitration. pay for it. You can have a different opinion of the This fits within the description of Ro- But direct taxation is not the only value of your shares. Rushdoony high- mans 13 that the civil authorities are to form of taxation. Historically, charging lights the nature of fraud when he says, punish evil. fees on imports and exports has been a “A man may willingly purchase an item Third, now that there is a role for fund-raising tactic of government. But under the impression that it is what it is government, how will the government if the Regulative Principle applies, it is represented to be, but fraud [misrepre- be paid? Does it need to tax? If so, how difficult to find a directive to those exer- sentation – IH] on the part of the seller much? To answer this question, you cising judicial judgments that they can makes it clearly theft.”1 Fraud can take only need to consider what are the func- charge foreign and local importers taxes place not only in the thing represented, tions that God has given to the govern- on goods. Unless, of course, it is merely but also in relation to its value. ment? The government appears to have a way to meet the costs of running Now it might be argued, Why a very limited role. In fact, it is strictly ports, harbors, and points of entry into would anyone invest under such confined to jurisdiction in matters of the country. But that only moves the circumstances? Surely prudence would punishable offenses. But even here it is discussion about the role of government govern investors, and if they were fool- limited to one of judgment only. Execu- in managing ports, harbors, and border ish enough to invest without doing their tion, for example, was to be undertaken patrol—and there is nothing to indicate homework, they deserve what they get. by the community. The people in a local this is a function of civil government.2 A Biblical economy will continue to community, starting with the witnesses, Fourth, if the only function of civil have a Department of Securities whose had the responsibility of inflicting pun- authority is to make judicial decisions, role it will be to determine if negligence ishment upon a murderer. then the question of what kind of money

10 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life should exist is also to be answered by If nothing else, this puts an end to an evangelistic effect on the other na- individuals. In other words, people the modern concept of eminent domain. tions around Israel. There is to be a free should be able to make any kind of ex- The government may not confiscate market within the national borders that changes they like, unless those exchanges people’s property for its own use, even is surrounded by God’s law. And this are prohibited by God’s law. They can when it pays fair price, as the story of very same standard is to be applied to exchange labor for food, tomatoes for Naboth and his vineyard indicates (1 those outside the nation unless indicated gold. They could even exchange beef for Kings 21). otherwise. Usury, therefore, could be paper—provided no one has interfered Seventh, another major element charged on foreigners, but not to the fel- with the value of that paper by printing of the Biblical economy is health and low-Israelite. Usury on foreigners, how- an artificial value on it, then coercing welfare. Again we search in vain to find ever, was not compulsory. And this is acceptance of the paper at that artificial an express command for the political not the same as saying that the political value. Determining what will be money order to get involved. Each citizen of the order must determine who can transact is not a function of government, but the kingdom, however, has a responsibility business within the nation and at what government could enforce contractual to help those in need, as the parable of prices those transactions should occur. conditions that involve money. the Good Samaritan indicates. In this Conclusion Fifth, it is evident that the question matter, the Amish are a better example The Biblical economy as outlined of property in its specific case of real than the Anglo-Saxons. Their concept here is a far cry from the one we live estate, and in a broader sense of dealing of community takes care of the practical in. This should not be surprising. with any economic good or service, is needs of each other. There have been several hundred years also addressed by the prohibition against Eighth, if the Regulative Principle of development of the modern state, theft. In Old Testament times land was is applied, there are no grounds for oc- with its control of the courts, control distributed to eleven tribes. One tribe cupational licensing by the civil gov- of taxation, and control of the borders. had no inheritance in the land. Their ernment. There is little evidence that And the last ingredient to add to this is job was to provide a number of services licensing by the authorities improves abandonment of the family and church to the community, and owning land, standards. It does cause higher charges, as the key communities, replacing them perhaps, would cloud their judgments. restrict choice, and diminish innova- with the modern state.4 In the new heavens and new earth tion.3 But this would leave ground for Contemporary mankind sees no talked about in Scripture, is there to be private licensing that could recognize hope outside of the political order. any other system of land ownership? The skill levels in particular occupations. Elections in every country are held to New Testament has not abandoned fam- But private licensing carries with it no provide the solution for all the nation’s ily ownership in favor of some kind of punishment for those who refuse to take ills. Apparently “we, the people” keep communal living. Ownership and con- the license. electing the wrong people to civil office trol of all kinds of property, land, homes, Ninth, the last aspect of the econo- because the problems persist. Never cars, bicycles, watches, telephones, and my in its broader sense has to do with is it suggested that the solution to the televisions belong to the family, not that international trade. Events inside the country’s woes is a return to God and of the wider community. border might seem to be taken care His laws as the way of righteousness and Sixth, while family ownership is the of without political interference, but prosperity. Our mistaken loyalty to the basis for the Biblical economy, there are international trade is something that nation-state of the modern world—idol- still rules that govern it. In particular, requires government intervention, so the atry, the Bible calls it—prevents us from the Sabbath laws would have a signifi- argument goes. Yet there is no inference seeing the glory and splendor of the cant impact on economic activity. Every in Scripture that the political order is to Christian commonwealth with God as Sabbath day is to be a day of rest. One control cross-border transactions. This is King and royal law-giver (James 2:8). year in seven is not only a yearly rest, but difficult to conceive, given centuries of Ian Hodge is a businessman, musician, and all lenders are required to cancel debts. government interference in cross-border author living in the United States. He has In the year of Jubilee—seven Sabbath trade. recently released Ian Hodge’s Read, Write years plus one, fifty years—not only were Interestingly, the Old Testament & Play Music, a self-instructional music debts to be cancelled, but the land was to is adamant that the application of program for home educators that applies the be returned to its original owning family. God’s law in all its glory would have Continued on page 32

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 11 Feature Artilce

Don’t Pray for the Peace of Babylon Mark R. Rushdoony

od’s Word uses the that all his attempts at dominion with- presumes on the power that belongs to Gterm “Babylon” as out God end in manifestations of his God. Simply put, the state has through- a euphemism for all the sin. The sinful lust for power rather than out history played god and thus insti- statist regimes of history godly dominion stems from the original tutionally embodied the original sin of that have sought to play sin of desiring to be as gods. Man’s con- man. god. Man outside of stant grasp for power is manifested in ag- Babylon God’s grace has an insatiable desire to gression and exploitation. Power-hungry The downfall of the statist regimes make good on Satan’s phony promise men create a power-hungry state as the that men could challenge the sover- utilitarian means of controlling others. of history is described in Revelation 17– eignty of God Himself and “be as gods, Man was never freer than in Eden 18 as the “judgment of the great whore” knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). before the Fall. There, he was in total (17:1), who bears the name of “BABY- Gods know good and evil because they harmony with God and the purpose for LON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER determine it. The quest to “be as gods” which he was created. He was governed, OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINA- was thus the origin of the desire for hu- not by his own sinful self-will, but by TIONS OF THE EARTH” (17:5). The man autonomy, the humanistic dream the revealed Word of God. Man’s perfect great whore is said to ride on both a of playing god, of remaking the world government was his self-government beast (17:3, 7, 9) and on “many waters” in terms of the sovereign word of man. in terms of that Word. Adam’s sin was (17:1). Four elements here are crucial to understanding what judgment is being Man’s quest of autonomy, or self- in his desire to be his own god. Man’s 1 rule by his own truth and word rather continuing sin is his ongoing desire for prophesied. These four elements are the than that of God, tends to result in one autonomy; his own dominion, power, allusion to Babylon, the beast, the great of two manifestations. The individual and glory; and his demand that the whore that rides upon it, and the waters. may become anarchistic, seeking his world serve him. First, Babylon represents the statist “own rules” and his “own thing.” The In the atonement of Jesus Christ, powers of human history that have individual autonomous man, however, God in human flesh paid the pen- sought the hegemony that rightly is either irrelevant or a nuisance to col- alty for man’s sin and destroyed the belongs to God. It is unmistakably a ref- lective man, and so humanism’s auton- moral stranglehold of sin on us. In Jesus erence to Babel, the meaning of which omy has always tended toward statism. Christ, the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45), is often lost in its relegation to a Sunday The real autonomy is thus of the state, we are made new creatures and therefore school morality tale. not individuals, which illustrates the our “labour is not in vain in the Lord” Babel was a political empire in Biblical teaching that man’s rebellion (v. 58). We are recalled to our purpose the days of Peleg (Gen. 10:25), who 2 against God represents an enslavement of exercising authority under God’s was born 100 years after the flood. to sin. The moral reality of slavery to sovereign lordship because we repudiate This means it was in the days of men sin is manifested in the institutional Adam’s satanic delusion of autonomy who well knew of God’s judgment on enslavement of men to the highest col- and power. man’s sin. Peleg was the fifth generation lective voice of mankind, the state. The Kingdom of God we serve is after Noah (and five removed from his As a moral rebel, man perverts the now available because of Jesus Christ. It descendant, Abram). The goal of the things of God. Since man is not god, exists wherever Christ rules, in church, people of Babel is stated in Genesis 11:4. but only a creature, all he can do as a state, family, or school. Babylon is the Go to, let us build us a city and a rebel is counterfeit the Creator’s reality. kingdom of man, where men seek tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; Man was made to have dominion over power in the numbers on which statism and let us make us a name, lest we be creation (Gen. 1:28), for instance, but depends. Babylon represents the statist scattered abroad upon the face of the whole his moral rebellion in Genesis 3 means exertion of control over others, which earth.

12 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life The goal of Babel was thus both a Babylon is also a reference to the embodies that dream, so the reference city and a tower. We tend to overlook empire of the Old Testament era, to the seven hills is a reference to Rome the former. They were in quest of both which later developed on the plain of as both a civil government, the “beast,” an empire and a “name.” They sought to Shinar, or Mesopotamia, where Babel and an embodiment of the dream of define themselves in terms of a politi- had once existed. It was Babylon that “Babylon.”) cal entity. Establishing their name was captured Judah and held it for seventy The beast, these civil governments, an attempt to exert their authority, to years. It was Babylon that destroyed has seven heads that represent kings. The impress their strength in the eyes of all. Jerusalem and the temple of God that first five kings were past, one was ruling “The Tower of Babel” was a represen- Solomon had built. It was Babylon that in John’s day (an obvious reference again tation of the magnificence of the city, the left the land promised by God to His to Rome), and the last was in the future social order, they planned. Like later civi- people a sparsely settled wilderness. The (17:10). The future king would have lizations of the ancient world (and pos- complete enslavement of the Hebrew ten horns, a symbol of totality. In other sibly the antediluvian world that had to people, the expropriation of their words, the future manifestation of statist have been advanced enough to produce a sacred land, and the destruction of their civil government and its quest to play vessel of the impressive dimensions of the religious center must have created such God would have many lesser manifesta- ark), monument building was a means of a feeling of pride and superiority in the tions, a number known to God. flaunting power and wealth. Great cities Babylonians that we should hardly be Much eschatology is geared to the and their engineering marvels were built surprised that they became synonymous specific identification of these ten horns. to instill awe and a sense of insignificance with those of every age who politically That may not have been John’s purpose. in those who viewed them. In desiring and culturally believe they can make The purpose seems to be the identi- to “reach heaven,” the builders of Babel God and His people irrelevant. fication of the dream of Babylon as, were trying to project themselves as a We must not limit references to throughout history, being the unifying power center. The religious statement Babylon to either Babel or the ancient factor of statist civil government. The this made, in the people familiar with the empires that bore the name, how- war of the beast against Jesus Christ, history of the Fall and the judgment of ever. Babylon also refers to the Roman the Lamb of God, and His people is a the Flood, was a bold one and a promul- Empire of John’s day. His description of recurring theme throughout history, the gation of a humanistic statist purpose as seven mountains or hills (Rev. 17:9) is kingdoms of humanistic statist man at a substitute for that of God. Babel was a a clear, well-known reference to the city war with the Kingdom of God and its return to the thinking of the pre-Flood of Rome from where the Caesars then citizens. generation whose purposes were “only ruled. Then John describes Babylon A third element of John’s vision is evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Perhaps its as also in the future, kings with “no the whore who rides on the beast, the builders were wickedly emboldened by kingdom as yet” (vv. 12–14). Babylon kingdoms or governments of the world. God’s promise not to repeat the Flood is more than a single political reference. The whore is carried by the beast, who (9:8–17). It is the ideal, the hope, the dream of is the major character. It is the work of The unity of the social order of humanistic man for a kingdom of man a whore to tempt man, to play on his Babel was a forced one. Cain had earlier that supplants the Kingdom of God. passions, his fantasies. We have already built a city or cities for protection. A second element of Revelation characterized Babylon as the dream, the Guilty because of the murder he had 17–18 is the beast with many heads hope, the ideal of rule of man without committed, he felt the need to establish and horns. These are civil governments, God, His victorious competitor. The himself in a defensible stronghold. Like kings (17:10ff.), that “make war with great whore of Babylon tempts the its city and tower, the unity of Babel the Lamb” (17:14), though the angels nations, the governments of the world, was a planned one, measured in political assured John of His victory and that of with the dream of Babylon, the king- strength that could be projected to oth- those who are faithful to Him. In addi- dom of man exalting itself over God. ers. Sadly enough, Babel had a very real tion to representing civil governments, The whore of Babylon is not a per- God-given unity, that of language. Their the beast also represents Satan (17:8) son, but the temptation, the quest for God-given judgment was in removing and, again in verse 9, Rome. (Babylon the autonomous man playing God. It their greatest unifying factor, thus mak- as the dream cannot be separated from is a continuation of the phony promise ing the political order impossible. the beast, the civil governments, that of Satan in Genesis 3:5 that man could,

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 13 Faith for All of Life in fact, be “as gods.” The whore is man’s seeing history as cyclical. More often is thus, perhaps, the very worst mani- insatiable lust to make good on Satan’s Western thought has believed in some festation of the dream of Babylon, for promise. The desire is the embracing of form of progress, of forward movement it seeks a world law and a world state. man’s original sin, the determination to of history toward some hope. Without The peace it seeks is in terms of its own make it work in his favor. This is a war a conscious belief in the advance of purposes and goals of empire. It is an on God and the Lamb who offered the the Kingdom of God and His Christ enemy of God’s justice and His King- only resolution to Adam’s sin at Calvary. through the grace shown to His cov- dom because it seeks its own. There is yet a fourth element that enant people, man’s dominion impulse The United Nations fails to recog- we should note in Revelation 17. The is counterfeited, secularized into some nize sin, therefore it allows sin to flourish whore sits on the waters (v. 1). John humanistic hope.3 if it is in its own self-interest. The United clearly identifies the waters as people The Renaissance and the Enlight- Nations has always been plagued by (v. 15). The evils of Babylon are not enment turned to utopian ideas as a internal corruption and scandal. It is a reserved to a few evil rulers or particular humanistic alternative to the Kingdom centralized, non-accountable body that regimes of history; they belong to the of God. Humanistic man’s kingdom is rules by a law that is neither organic peoples as well. The lust (whore) of of some kind of Babel, some social order to the culture to which it dictates nor statist governments (beast, kings) for the whereby man makes a name for himself subject to the transcendental authority of preeminence of man’s will and glory in and builds some sort of lasting tower or God. The United Nations represents the defiance of God (Babylon) cannot be monument to its permanence. Modern dream, the ideal of Babylon writ large. limited to institutions; it is the sinful man’s towers tend to be legal and insti- The judgment on the beast, civil tendency of all men who, after Adam, tutional rather than made of mortar and governments, and its dream of Babylon pursue a life in terms of the promise of brick, but they are no less presumptuous is described by St. John (Rev. 18). The Satan in Eden. in their goal of creating an order outside angel of God declares, “Babylon the Part of the sinister nature of ancient of God. great is fallen, is fallen” (v. 2). The warn- Babylon, though in no way unique to Utopianism seeks a permanent ing of the angel is clear. “Come out of it, was the control over men it wielded social order, an end to history by creat- her, my people, that ye be not partakers by economic power. It encouraged debt ing its final order. Karl Marx clearly saw of her sins, and that ye receive not of her by easy credit and economic control, this as the purpose of revolution. Others plagues” (v. 4). The angel directly refer- which was then followed by political have adopted the idea of creating order ences the ancient Tower of Babel when control. The description of judgment to by revolution through different means, he says Babylon’s “sins have reached which John referred (Rev. 17:1) is largely such as political, legal, or educational unto heaven” (v. 5). But Babylon thinks described in terms of economic collapse “reform.” All suggest that a perfect order she is immune from misfortune, so she (Rev. 18). There is no swifter judg- is possible if man can only be made sub- sits as a queen who cannot be widowed ment than economic collapse because it ject to the new order he envisions. Some or mourn (v. 7), i.e., who will never see impacts every aspect of the life of every method of aggression or legal compul- misfortune. single person. The Soviet Union, let us sion is inevitably the means to achieve Four plagues will come upon the remember, collapsed with its military utopian goals. Babylons of history, however: death, strength intact when its economy became mourning, famine, and fire (v. 8). Death so dysfunctional that its people stopped United Nations is God’s response to Babylon’s belief she fearing to offend its strength of arms. The United Nations is a modern utopian version of Babylon. The order will never be a widow; mourning is in Modern Babylon it seeks in international affairs is an contrast to the arrogance of her power; The modern Babylons of the West entirely humanistic one, not a moral famine is the recompense for the wealth have most noticeably tried to counter- one in any Biblical sense. Its hope is in she enjoyed through the labor of others; feit the Kingdom of God. Oriental and the organization of mankind into a new and fire the destruction in her judgment. Asian thought came to have a contempt city and tower of Babel under a concept The end of all Babylons, like the for history as the realm of karma, the of justice and law that it decrees. The judgment on Babel, will be a scatter- merciless outworking of consequences. world at peace it seeks must be a world ing. The means in Genesis 11 was the Some non-Christian Westerners turned under its rule and law, a new version destruction of the people’s productive to a similarly defeatist position by of Pax Romana or “peace of Islam.” It capacity by the confusion of their unify-

14 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life ing language. This meant more than the comical chaos of our Sunday school UN Charter: Utopian Language, lessons; it meant their ability to do any Corrupt Practice business or trade was destroyed. It was n the utopian vision of the United not just the tower that was abandoned; INations Charter, the world looks like it was the city of Babel and its dream paradise. of making a name for itself that was All member states are sover- aborted as well. eign and equal; war is discouraged; The collapse of Babylon, the angel and men and women within those says, will be largely economic in nature member states are equal. States and international organizations promote social (Rev. 11–19). Those who benefit from progress, “the economic and social advancement of all peoples.” Babylon will mourn its demise, but in All peoples of the world are to enjoy self-determination; all religions are to this economic collapse, God’s people are be respected; and member states that persistently violate the Charter are to be called to rejoice over her collapse as the expelled (for a full text of the Charter, see http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/ antagonist of the “apostles and proph- un/unchart.htm). ets” (18:20–21). The document goes on for page after page, 111 articles in all, without Too much eschatology centers mentioning God, let alone acknowledging Him as the authoritative source of around the minutia of John’s prophecy truth, morality, and law. In the UN Charter, truth, morality, and law are all arrived in Revelation, as if its essence were in at through collective bargaining and consensus. There is, of course, no acknowl- the details. We fail to see the big picture. edgement of man’s fallen nature, his inborn depravity and imperfectability. The angel revealed to John that man’s As lovely as it sounds, the Charter reflects very little of the actual practice of hope of being God, his collective system the United Nations. of empire-building toward the good life The absolute sovereignty of member states usually renders them immune in terms of one humanistic dream or from UN action. In those rare cases where “sanctions” are imposed, e.g., against another will collapse. Babylon will fall. Iraq or North Korea, we see the target regimes evade the sanctions with the This economic calamity will affect all connivance of their allies—or with the connivance of the UN itself, as in the “Oil men, but we must rejoice in its fall as for Food” scandal. the judgment of God. As for the UN’s capacity to discourage war, space does not permit a list of We must not pray for the peace all the wars fought in recent years despite the UN. Just to name a few: Iran-Iraq, and prosperity of Babylon, nor mourn Israel-Hezbollah-Palestine, United States-Iraq, Libya-Chad, etc. And the UN has its coming judgment. We must, rather, been powerless to deter bloody, genocidal conflicts within national borders: prepare ourselves to respond with the Darfur, Rwanda, East Timor. refrain that will fill heaven, “Alleluia; Peoples such as the Kurds and the nations of southern Sudan are still wait- Salvation, and glory, and honour, and ing to taste the fruits of self-determination. Many Muslim states systematically power, unto the Lord our God: For true persecute religious minorities and oppress women. A permanent member of and righteous are his judgments: for he the Security Council, China, is infamous for its suppression of religious groups, hath judged the great whore, which did from Lutherans to Falun Gong. corrupt the earth with her fornication, And far from being expelled from the UN for persistently violating the and hath avenged the blood of his ser- Charter, chronic offenders Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, China, and others are vants at her hand. And again they said rewarded with seats on the UN Human Rights Council. Alleluia! And her smoke rose up for ever If mankind were purposely to set up an institution whose rhetoric and prac- and ever” (Rev. 19:1–3). tices were diametrically opposed, it would look like the United Nations. Christians must not support stat- “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it,” says the ism, even that with a democratic rheto- Bible (Ps. 127:1). The UN is the world’s most ambitious utopian project to date, ric. To do so is to support a modern and humanism’s greatest embarrassment. Babylon. Christians cannot invest their lives and future hopes in Babylon, the Continued on page 32

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 15 Feature Article The Arrogance of Utopianism Timothy D. Terrelll

n the February 1973 riage was too exclusive, and the choice early nineteenth-century utopian, also IChalcedon Report, of marriage partners should be made proposed communal living, with “free Rousas J. Rushdoony by the state. Children would be raised love.” Fourier, who suffered no lack of writes that utopianism’s separate from their parents, in commu- strange ideas (e.g., in the coming eighth folly is its idea that sin nal schools. stage of the earth, man would grow tails, can be overcome by suf- Later utopians made similar pro- five more moons would appear, and ficiently careful organization of society. nouncements on property and family. the oceans would turn into lemonade), In a utopia, he writes, The fourteenth-century Free Spirit cults advocated the replacement of capitalism [m]an is not seen as a sinner, nor does in Germany held that all property was with small communes called “phalanx- man need a Savior; man’s need is for common, including the property of es.” Everyone in these phalanxes would the expert, the elite mind, to take those outside their circle of believers. have a guaranteed minimum income, over man’s life and all society and to As Free Spirit Johann Hartmann writes, and even guaranteed minimum sex due reorganize all things in terms of his own “The truly free man is king and lord of to an “angelic group” within the com- wisdom. Man, especially elite man, munity.4 American admirers of Fourier is beyond good and evil. Man must all creatures. All things belong to him, become his own maker, and in terms of and he has the right to use whatever tried many times to organize phalanxes, the thinking of his philosophical and pleases him. If anyone tries to prevent but all soon failed. scientific elite, rethink all things and him, the free man may kill him and John Humphrey Noyes’ utopian redefine the public good, happiness, take his goods.”2 The fifteenth-cen- community in Oneida, New York, profit, and justice.1 tury Taborites in Bohemia advocated became well known for making sil- Utopianism usually begins with the revolutionary violence to accomplish verware. Noyes taught that man was arrogant thought that God’s law is use- their communistic utopia. They forbade perfectible in this life, and, according less for society. When Biblical law is re- marriage, and a husband and wife seen to Clifford Thies, “once perfected was moved, social constraints are the next to together could be executed. freed from the usual restriction on go. Social patterns that have developed After the failure of the Taborite behavior imposed by private property 5 over millennia—tradition, case law, community, the Bohemian Adamites and marriage.” Noyes controlled the property rights—are all readily discarded continued and extended their utopia- community’s property, as well as the in favor of the intellectual creations of nism. Making promiscuity mandatory, women. He evidently fathered most of the utopian visionary. Common features they decided that any man could require the commune’s children. of utopias include a complete reworking the submission of any woman, subject One of the best-known examples of the law, abolition of private property, to the consent of their leader, whom of utopian communism was Robert common housing, uniform dress (or they called Adam-Moses. Consistent Owen’s community at New Harmony, perhaps nudity), commonality of sexual with some other utopian communes, Indiana, founded in 1825. It lasted less partners, and centrally directed educa- they generally went about in the nude. than three years. Robert Dale Owen, tion. Later utopias rely on technology to Since the Adamites made every effort who with his father had founded the render sin obsolete. to kill those outside their community, New Harmony community, became a One of the earliest utopian visions neighboring troops eventually invaded vigorous proponent of compulsory pub- was that of Plato, who proposed a sys- their refuge and slaughtered them all.3 lic education. Owen, along with Frances tem of communal property for society’s Wright (a former New Harmony resi- elite ruling class of philosophers-kings. Nineteenth-Century Experiments dent), ran a newspaper called the Free To remove the temptation to acquire Experimentation with “progressive” Enquirer, which championed “national, wealth, all corrupting property would be ideas continued in nineteenth-cen- rational, republican education; free abolished for this aristocracy. Even mar- tury communes. Charles Fourier, an for all at the expense of all; conducted

16 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life under the guardianship of the State, and Apart from God, these fantasies are one’s ideal society removes the crucial for the honor, the happiness, the virtue, deadly. element of awe and mystery from the the salvation of the state.”6 allegedly inevitable world of the future.9 Utopian Arrogance Owen and Wright, drawing perhaps The unadulterated arrogance of Many utopian proposals attempt to from Plato, advocated institutionalized utopians is sometimes stunning. Saint- merge capitalism with idealistic social- care for all children, from age two to Simon believed that Charlemagne had ism. One early example is found in the sixteen, with limited parental visitation. appeared to him in a vision while he was writing of Claude Henri de Rouvroy In these state-run boarding schools, imprisoned during the French Revolu- Comte de Saint-Simon (1760–1825), egalitarianism would be the rule. tion to tell him that he should save a French noble. Despite Saint-Simon’s In these nurseries of a free nation, no the French Republic after the French antagonism toward government (“Gov- inequality must be allowed to enter. Fed Revolution. He instructed his servant to ernment always harms industry when at a common board; clothed in a com- wake him in the morning every day by it mixes in its affairs, it harms it even mon garb ... raised in the exercise of saying, “Arise, Monsieur le Comte, you in instances where it makes an effort common duties ... in the exercise of the have great things to do today.” same virtues, in the enjoyment of the to encourage it”), Saint-Simon had a same pleasures; in the study of the same centralized plan for an “industrial parlia- Utopia, FDR-Style nature; in pursuit of the same object ... ment.” This would bring the intellectual From small experiments like the say! Would not such a race ... work out and industrial elites—artists, scientists, Oneida commune or New Harmony in the reform of society and perfect the engineers, and other talent—together the nineteenth century, utopianism hit free institutions of America?7 to produce new ideas for society. The the American mainstream during the Maintaining equality in spite of ominously named “Chamber of Execu- Great Depression of the 1930s. Herbert natural variations in human capabilities tion” would have the power to levy Hoover, the engineer-president, wanted and desires would require the suppres- taxes, the revenues then to be devoted to to supersede market coordination and sion of individuality. Any exceptional promising areas of research and develop- resource allocation with government abilities would inevitably have to be ment. Like other utopians, Saint-Simon planning. Franklin D. Roosevelt took suppressed, and individual preferences trusted deeply in his ability to organize Hoover’s statist tendencies and ex- smothered. To prevent the influence of society. The fantasies of his brain count- panded them. These were not attempts the inequalities of the children’s home ed for more than Biblical truths about to promote outright socialism. Instead, life, the students could not live at home. human nature or the collective wisdom Hoover and Roosevelt sought a “third Rather, the schools of long centuries of social development. way” between capitalism and socialism. must receive the children, not for six Karl Marx, who was influenced by The mixture was to be concocted by hours a day, but altogether must feed Saint-Simon, nevertheless regarded him a selfless intellectual aristocracy with them, clothe them, lodge them; must as unrealistic, calling him a “utopian so- enormous coercive power. direct not their studies only, but their cialist.” Marx, by avoiding Saint-Simon’s Roosevelt brought well-educated occupations and amusements and must level of detail, maintained a mystic awe experts to Washington—mostly univer- care for them until their education is that avoided criticisms of detailed appli- completed.8 sity professors. Journalists began to call cations. As Murray Rothbard writes, this group the “Brain Trust.” Roosevelt’s Murray Rothbard argues that Owen In contrast to the various groups of administration flouted law and prec- and Wright’s influence on the public utopian socialists, and in common edent to create his New Deal programs, education movement in the United with religious messianists, Karl Marx regarding the wisdom of the Constitu- did not sketch the features of his future States has not been trivial. tion’s authors as secondary to the ideas Further examples of utopian com- communism in any detail. It was not for Marx, for example, to spell out the of his intellectual elites. As critic John T. munist thought include, of course, Flynn puts it, Proudhon’s famous remark, “Property number of people in his utopia, the shape and location of their houses, the In the capital one bumped suddenly is theft,” and Aldous Huxley’s slogan, pattern of their cities. In the first place, and frequently into a happy and eager “Everyone belongs to everyone else.” there is a quintessentially crackpotty bureaucrat who had but recently been a Through all of these utopian ideas runs air to utopias that are mapped by their tutor or professor or instructor in some the theme of central control, forcing creators in precise detail. But of equal college where he was eating his heart conformity to the visionary’s fantasies. importance, spelling out the details of out over the futility of the professor’s

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 17 Faith for All of Life existence—where he presided over the that was popular in the 1930s was everyone else in the country. destinies of two dozen youths in some “planned capitalism.” The economic Roosevelt’s onetime vice president, small fragment of human learning, “high ground” would be nationalized— Henry Wallace, illustrates well some of while lesser and baser men directed banks, railroads, mines, etc. Most of the the oddities of FDR-style utopianism. the destinies of the nation. Now he is economy would be left in the hands of Not a stable thinker, Wallace bounced in Washington and by a swift turn of from Presbyterianism to Roman Cathol- the wheel of Fortune he presides over a the private sector, there to be subject not icism to Episcopalianism to Confucian- numerous division of lesser bureaucrats, to government ownership but merely to earns twice what he got as a teacher regulation. Regulation on labor con- ism to Buddhism, and even astrology. and is amazed and delighted at finding tracts, consumer product quality, prices, He was, for a time, a fan of a strange himself fabricating a policy to mold the and the financial sector would address guru of Eastern philosophy named 13 lives of a million farmers or twice as the common failings of the market. Nicholas Konstantin Roerich. many housewives. The sense of anony- This form of socialism was attractive At one time, Wallace was the Secre- mous power sends the blood coursing to many in Roosevelt’s system because tary of Agriculture, and, during World through his heated brain. After a while it allowed them to claim that they were War II, served as the head of the Board he seems not unequal to any problem, of Economic Warfare. Chief economist however vast.10 basically capitalists, while holding to the essentials of socialism. This form of so- for the BEW was Dr. Maurice Parmelee. Roosevelt’s Brain Trust helped him cialism was called fascism when adopted Parmelee is the author of a book called dream up some of the sweeping changes by Mussolini’s Italy or Hitler’s Germany. Bolshevism, Fascism, and the Liberal in law that would remedy the market’s By the time Roosevelt latched on to the Democratic State. In it, he displays a supposed failure to ensure consistent idea, fascism had a bad name, so it had predilection for central planning, Soviet- prosperity. These Brobdingnagian to be called something else: the Planned style: programs, with names like the National Economy. After all, how can one be op- The high technological development Recovery Administration, Public Works posed to planning? in the United States renders it feasible Administration, and Agricultural Ad- to introduce a planned social economy The Austrian economist Ludwig justment Administration, are now often much more rapidly than has been the von Mises makes the point that the ab- acknowledged to have hindered recovery case in the U.S.S.R. ... The superficial sence of central planning does not mean rather than promoting it. It was, once paraphernalia of capitalism can be dis- no planning. In a market economy, it again, a utopian fantasy. pensed with more quickly than in the is the individual who plans the use of Soviet Union.14 One of Roosevelt’s Brain Trust his own property, and not the govern- members was Rexford G. Tugwell. Parmelee was a colorful character. ment planning the use of everyone else’s Tugwell taught economics at Columbia He has also written a book called Nud- property. University and became Assistant Secre- ism in Modern Life, in which he advo- Why wouldn’t central planning tary of Agriculture during Roosevelt’s cates a strange brand of nudism called work? Why wouldn’t it be a good idea first term. He was contemptuous of gymnosophy. This was an old cult of to have a central authority plan the ordinary people and was notorious for Hindu hermits who went around with movements of labor and capital, set having terrible manners. Highly skepti- little or no clothes. He urges nudism prices, and regulate output? Doesn’t the cal of the market economy, Tugwell “wherever feasible in office, workshop, 15 advocated extensive control by experts government have possession of better or factory.” As with other utopians, (such as himself, of course). He argues, information about the economy than nudism went hand-in-glove (or, in an individual? Mises explains, “[I]n the The Cat is out of the Bag. There is no Parmelee’s case, out-of-glove?) with Par- invisible hand. There never was. If the socialist system everything depends on melee’s socialism. He writes, “[T]hese depression has not taught us that, we the wisdom, the talents, and the gifts of gymnosophist nudist colonies furnish are incapable of education ... We must those people who form the supreme au- excellent opportunities for experiments now supply a real and visible guiding thority. That which the supreme dicta- along socialist lines ... Customary nudity hand to do the task which that mythi- tor—or his committee—does not know, is impossible under existing undemo- cal, nonexistent, invisible agency was is not taken into account.”12 Roosevelt’s cratic, social and economic and political 11 supposed to perform, but never did. administration was full of people who organization.”16 Tugwell was a socialist. Socialism thought themselves gifted and knowl- Parmelee became a little too embar- comes in many varieties, but one variety edgeable enough to make decisions for rassing for the administration, so he was

18 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life replaced as chief economist with Har- horrifyingly wasteful and occasionally director of the Center for Biblical Law and vard-trained John Bovingdon. Boving- laughable. But forms of it have per- Economics at http://www.christ-college. don was quite the artist, in addition to sisted to the twenty-first century. While edu/html/cble/. Dr. Terrell can be contacted whatever economic credentials he may the modern utopian is likely to accept at [email protected]. have had. He became director of the In- some modicum of capitalism, as New 1. Rousas J. Rushdoony, Roots of Reconstruc- ternational Theater in Moscow, worked Dealers did, environmentalism is now tion (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, as a journalist there, and wrote radio a prominent feature of ideal societies. 1991), 838. scripts and plays. He came back to the The primitivist “hippies” of the late six- 2. Murray Rothbard, Economic Thought be- United States in early 1935, where he ties and early seventies made the usual fore Adam Smith (Aldershot: Edward Elgar, became a kind of informal advocate for association of communal living and 1995), 162. the Soviet Union. Indeed, utopians in sexual anti-traditionalism, but inserted 3. Ibid., 164. the Roosevelt administration provided a environmental concerns. State coercion 4. Clifford F. Thies, “The Year 2000,” channel for Soviet infiltration during the was soon enlisted to enforce allegedly http://www.mises.org/story/121. wartime alliance with Stalin. pro-environment behavior. 5. Ibid. Roosevelt’s administration, stocked 6. Quoted in Murray N. Rothbard, Educa- though it was with leftist utopians, was Christian Utopia? tion, Free and Compulsory (Auburn: Mises nevertheless too moderate for some Christians who advocate a soci- Institute, 1999), 45. thinkers of the time. Upton Sinclair, ety based on God’s law are sometimes 7. Ibid., 46. who is perhaps most famous for his classified as utopians. But merely 8. Ibid., 47. novel The Jungle, was a prolific critic considering how an ideal society might 9. Murray N. Rothbard, “Karl Marx as of capitalism. He won the Democratic look is not the error of utopianism. A Religious Eschatologist,” Review of Austrian Economics, vol. 4, 124. nomination for governor of California, Christian worldview requires thinking with the idea of turning the state into a about “ideals,” informed by the Bible. 10. John T. Flynn, The Roosevelt Myth (San Francisco: Fox & Wilkes, 1998), 150. socialist utopia.17 Sinclair’s plan involved Christians might well look to the com- mands against theft or covetousness as 11. Quoted in Walton and Rockoff, History getting the state government to put up indications that private property is part of the American Economy, 9th ed. (Toronto: borrowed money to restart all the idle of an “ideal” Biblical society. We might Thomson Learning, 2002), 516. factories and abandoned farms, which also note the impossibility of human 12. Ludwig von Mises, Economic Policy: would then hire the unemployed. Ten perfection in this life and know that it is Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow (Irving- or fifteen percent of California’s popu- ton-on-Hudson: Free Market Books, 1995), foolish to expect sinless, selfless devotion lation would be moved immediately 29. to communal living. We might find in into a socialistic economy. Sinclair got 13. Flynn, 207–210. the Bible the indication that only God Roosevelt’s support after winning the 14. Flynn, 283. is omniscient, so knowing the best uses primary, but the Republican candidate of resources is beyond the power of any 15. Ibid. defeated Sinclair.18 individual, government bureaucracy, or 16. Quoted in Flynn, The Roosevelt Myth, One oddball utopian group of the 283. think tank. A price system acknowledges 1930s, the Technocrats, took their ideas human ignorance and helps condense 17. Ibid., 64. from the aforementioned Saint-Simon. and convey the most important infor- 18. Ibid. The Technocrats wanted to unite with mation about resource scarcity. Canada, Mexico, and the Central The problem of utopianism is the American countries and eliminate the pursuit of ideals in the face of all we democratic system. Engineers and know from the Bible. It is the arrogance economists would then run the country. contained in the belief that one can This was to be called the Soviet of the reconstruct society from man’s wisdom. Engineers. This council of elites would It is an arrogance that results in poverty have abolished the current monetary and death. system and based all money on a unit of energy called the erg. Timothy Terrell teaches economics at a Roosevelt-era utopianism was small college in South Carolina. He is also

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 19 Book Review

Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right by Rev. Dr. Mel White New York: Penguin, 2006 Reviewed by Martin G. Selbrede

t has been pointed by floating alternate interpretations of who sin against the Holy Spirit by treat- Iout that the Bible is controversial passages (e.g., he treats the ing the canon as closed and thus turning an anvil that has worn statute in Leviticus 20:13 as applying “the Bible into a cold, stone idol.”2 out many hammers. solely to the Levitical priesthood while As R. J. Rushdoony noted, infal- In some respects, the it existed). libility is an inescapable concept. Dr. latest book by Rev. Dr. It is noteworthy that White’s method White reposes it elsewhere than in God’s Mel White, a nationally noted apolo- in approaching Scripture is rampant Word, creating his own set of idols in gist for the homosexual community, across Christendom, making it impos- the process (Abraham Lincoln3 and the is another in a long line of hammers, sible for most mainstream Christians to U.S. Constitution4 being foremost in but not all hammers are created equal. criticize him without raising the specter the list). Although liberal scholar Bishop John of blatant hypocrisy and arbitrary selec- Dr. White as Researcher Shelby Spong leads the list of endorse- tivity. Christian inconsistency rightly ments on White’s dust jacket, it would gets thrust back into the face of White’s Is Dr. White’s book well researched? be an error to think their respective detractors. Christians want to criticize Two endorsements on the dust jacket agendas are in absolute lockstep. Spong Dr. White for picking-and-choosing characterize the book as “meticulously researched,” as the obvious product sees the Bible as filled with “texts of the Biblical texts he emphasizes on the terror,” as evidenced in his book, The grounds that Dr. White neglects passages of “methodical research.” Personally, I Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible’s Texts X, Y, and Z, but Christians themselves would avoid any method of research that leads to such obvious gaffes as call- of Hate to Reveal the God of Love. Dr. have Biblical skeletons in their closet ing R. J. Rushdoony’s son-in-law David White’s approach does not reach Spong’s (neglect of passages Q, R, and S) that 5 extreme, but it is surely burdened by its Dr. White ably exposes. It is therefore North rather than Gary North, or repeatedly labeling those who promote own problems. not without cause that Chalcedon has 6 always urged a full-orbed Biblical faith: God’s law “theophonists” rather than Dr. White’s Approach to Scripture anything short of this effectively sheathes theonomists (Dr. White evidently didn’t In his booklet entitled What the the two-edged sword of Scripture, not get his money’s worth studying Greek at Bible Says—and Doesn’t Say—About to mention unleashing the rebuke Paul Fuller Theological Seminary). Homosexuality, White provides a not- enunciates in Romans 2:22–23. Dr. White speaks about how he entirely-accurate list of Bible teachings successfully corrected Francis Schaeffer and concludes, “I’m certain you don’t Dr. White on Biblical Inerrancy regarding Barth’s stance on Schleierm- agree with these teachings from the As touching Biblical inerrancy, Dr. acher,7 only to repeatedly misspell the Bible about sex. And you shouldn’t.” White sees it as a pivotal issue. “Every- latter’s name as Schleirmacher. The book Why not? “[T]he Holy Spirit has taught thing rises or falls on that belief.”1 of Leviticus slips between being the us that certain Bible verses should not Understanding that Biblical inerran- second8 and third9 book of the Torah. be understood as God’s law for all time cy is foundational, Dr. White is at pains Rampant carelessness has marked most periods ... [T]he Holy Spirit uses science to undermine it throughout his book. criticism of Reconstruction (see my to teach us why those ancient words no When the church caves on inerrancy, articles concerning the two conferences longer apply to our modern times.” Un- books like Dr. White’s are the irrevoca- held in New York last year), and Dr. like Spong’s outright rejection of Scrip- ble result. Dr. White indicts, at length, White is representative in this regard. ture, White attempts to co-opt the Bible those who hold to inerrancy as idolaters Perhaps he has other fish to fry.

20 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life Dr. White as Ghostwriter itly insignificant and appearing only guage” mark the strategies of fundamen- Dr. White was a ghostwriter for Dr. faintly on his radar screen. Given his talists.14 Perhaps this is why Dr. White Jerry Falwell, Rev. Billy Graham, Dr. W. progressivist view of political power, Dr. deals so little with R. J. Rushdoony: A. Criswell, and Pat Robertson. Perhaps White’s God is much closer to “the God there’s nothing stealthy or encoded to the most embarrassing incident Dr. of forces ... whom his fathers knew not” uncover. White relates deals with Pat Robertson’s (Dan. 11:38) than a God who con- In his preface, Dr. White discusses book, America’s Dates with Destiny. founds the strong by using the weak. He the murder of Gary Matson and Win- Dr. White could never pin Robertson undermines his focus on God being the field Scott Mowder by the hate-mon- down long enough to go over any of God of outcasts11 by making sure the gering Williams brothers.15 Dr. White the 120,000 words of the ghostwritten power state is beefed up to keep God’s quotes from the court testimony of Dr. text (at one point spinning his wheels Word culturally castrated. Mark A. Matson, Gary’s brother and holed up in a hotel room for two days Several subthemes are detectible: he Academic Dean at Milligan College, for no purpose). Robertson was later to labels as pseudo-science anything com- who holds a doctorate in New Testa- autograph Dr. White’s copy thus: “To ing from across the aisle; he regards fun- ment Studies: Mel White, a magnificent writer, best damentalism as heretical and embody- Mark Matson ... admitted to a reporter wishes, Pat.” Dr. White adds, “I can say ing idolatry in various particulars; he that “Gary saw the danger of the reli- for certain that in my copy of America’s reprehends secret or semi-secret meet- gious right.” Apparently, it was the one Dates with Destiny there are nine words ings of Christian leaders; and he dances thing the two brothers disagreed on. “It that Pat Robertson wrote.” The most back and forth on the issue of slapping is ironic to me,” Dr. Matson admits, controversial incident, however, relates the fascism label on his opponents. The “that his reaction was correct. For him to an event we only have Dr. White’s criticisms are equivocal and could often Christianity or at least a perverse seg- ment of it was dangerous” ... It took the word on regarding Dr. Criswell.10 be put back in Dr. White’s lap with torture and murder of his brother for equal (if not greater) justice. Dr. White’s Primary Themes Mark Matson to realize that “a perverse If one went by how often Dr. White Dr. White’s More Dubious Points segment” of Christianity is dangerous. repeats a phrase in this book, the most When in doubt, compare your op- What will it take for the rest of us to realize that fundamentalist Christianity, significant ideas he puts forward are ponents to Hitler. I’ve written on this that “perverse segment” of the Christian that fundamentalists “create fear and gambit last year in New York in regard church, is a threat...?”16 loathing” of homosexuals and that to Katherine Yurica’s use of it against this, whether intended or not, leads to Christians, and the same corrective I contacted Dr. Matson to see if “tragic consequences.” Dr. White stays principles apply here. To be fair, Dr. Dr. White had fairly and accurately rigidly “on message” with this sequence White seems to want his cake and eat represented his views. Dr. Matson of ideas. The most common endnotes it too: he repeatedly invokes the Hitler/ graciously replied to me and forwarded in his book are references to dozens Goebbels gambit and then withdraws it me the court transcript as well. Says Dr. and dozens of fund-raising letters and as obviously over-the-top.12 Some of his Matson, appeals (all on file), the primary subtext constituency may wonder why he halts [My] brother was the one who saw of which is that fundamentalists create between two opinions: why raise the danger from Christians. The term “Christian right” is actually his term, “fear and loathing” to boost fund-rais- specter of renewed Nazi Kristallnachts not mine. [Dr. Mel White’s] simple ing—and it is reportedly very effective. only to have a failure of nerve about the quote does not do me or my views Since Dr. White thinks in terms of charge in the next paragraph? He hesi- justice. My larger point was that the political and monetary power, he lists tates to condemn individual fundamen- murder of homosexuals cannot possibly the budgets for the major ministries, talists but insists that their position will be condoned under the guise of Christi- both to warn his constituency and to in- likely tend in the direction of a Nazi- anity ... that the Williams actually were dict the ministries for intentionally cash- style “final solution” or “ultimate solu- not Christians, they were hateful people ing in on “hate.” Because multiple mil- tion.”13 He spends many pages painting that masqueraded under [a] false banner lions of dollars flowing into the hands fundamentalists as fascists and drawing ... Your real question is whether I think 17 of fundamentalists makes for a better inflammatory comparisons. fundamentalism is “perverse.” No. alarmist story for Dr. White, Chalcedon Like Yurica and others, Dr. White The lesson here is that one cannot is completely passed over, being implic- insists that “stealth” and “coded lan- assume that Dr. White isn’t bending the

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 21 Faith for All of Life data to fit his rhetorical needs, whether themselves” was a “bromide by Ben Morecraft once said of America’s politi- that be the Biblical data or his appar- Franklin” that not only isn’t in the Bible, cal parties, one wants to gain power, the ent attempt to make undue capital of it contradicts the themes of both Testa- other wants to retain power. But the Dr. Matson’s testimony to create the ments.21 focus is always a lust for power. impression of solidarity. Since he has Dr. White skewers the prosperity Chalcedon has consistently upheld formally announced that he will no lon- gospel on the grounds that it makes Isaiah’s affirmation that the nations are ger dialogue with any of his opponents, God subservient to man and his wishes: as nothing, and less than nothing, like his treatment of the Biblical texts is now God must obey man in such pop the- the small dust of the balance (Isa. 40:15, insulated from challenge or interaction. ologies.22 Dr. White occasionally makes 17), that of the increase of Christ’s He criticizes fundamentalists for their a statement that could even have been government and of peace there shall be alleged “no discussion” attitude,18 but written by R. J. Rushdoony himself, no end (Isa. 9:7), and that the zeal of cheerfully admits to the same fault,19 such as in warning against limiting “the the Lord of hosts shall perform this. Dr. since he has since moved on to “relent- life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to White is counting on fundamentalists to less nonviolent resistance” using the a kind of ‘Get Out Of Jail’ card ... to continuing to fight in Saul’s armor, but approach of Gandhi and Dr. Martin escape the fires of hell.”23 That sounds R. J. Rushdoony made clear that Bibli- Luther King. eerily like Rushdoony’s criticism that cal law cannot be imposed, it can only too many Christians have a spare tire be embraced. If God Himself writes Dr. White as Modern Shimei religion, that Jesus represents life and His law on the minds and hearts of His In 2 Samuel 16:5–13, we read of fire insurance and little more. people (Heb. 8:10), Dr. White has set Shimei cursing King David and casting Why even acknowledge any edifying himself the impossible task of fighting stones, sticks, and dirt at him and his content in this book? If King David can God. entourage from along the hillside. David tolerate dirt flung in his face by Shimei, Dr. White may have retired from wouldn’t let anyone touch Shimei, say- why should we quail at Dr. White’s oc- the field declaring victory over God’s ing, “Let him curse.” In what sense does casional flash of truth? Dr. Rushdoony inerrant Word, having explicitly subor- Dr. White function as a Shimei? (Put made it crystal clear in his exposition of dinated His Word to human political another way, setting aside the vast bulk the ninth commandment that we must documents that “trump” it, but he will of his book with which we disagree, do bear true witness in our dealings, even ultimately need to contend with the some of his accusations ring true?) (and perhaps especially) in regard to our stupendous claim made in Psalm 138:2: Dr. White points out that “conser- opponents. “[T]hou hast magnified thy word above vative Christian couples are even more all thy name.” What God hath magni- likely to divorce than couples from Dr. White as a Statist fied, let no man subordinate. other faith groups, atheists, or agnos- Dr. White decries what he sees are tics.”20 And he can cite George Barna in grabs for statist power being made by Final Observations support of this contention, concluding fundamentalists. He doesn’t see the Dr. White gains tremendous trac- that this evidence shatters the myth of irony in that his response makes him tion by leveraging the ignorance Chris- the Christian nuclear family (a myth, he birds of a feather with his opponents. tians have of the books of Moses. How adds, that we should nonetheless aspire By elevating the U.S. Constitution over many Christians have read Leviticus, to realize). Dr. White never actually asks the Bible, Dr. White, knowingly or not, let alone understand it? How many will the question, “What if the energy spent advances Hegel’s notion that the state is discard Leviticus under Dr. White’s battling homosexuality were redirected God walking on earth. emotional promptings, such as when he to this far wider problem instead?” He Dr. White therefore looks for statist, claims that the holiness passages in Le- doesn’t need to. The function of a Shi- political solutions, as most progressives viticus have been “trumped, invalidated, mei is to curse and throw sticks, hoping (almost by definition) always do. The annulled, quashed, overthrown by the some may hit the mark. focus is on power, however structured two great commandments”24—with Dr. White lampoons the utter (statist power, civil rights movement Dr. White never mentioning that one Biblical illiteracy of the vast majority power, etc.). He wails over power slip- of those two great commandments is of Americans (even American Chris- ping into the hands of his opponents, embedded in Leviticus itself, centered tians), pointing out (among many other but promotes the accumulation of pow- between the passages he claims are things) that “God helps those who help er for his own agenda. As Dr. Joseph C. quashed? We’re left marveling at how

22 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life Leviticus magically overthrows itself. retrieved from Dr. White a bundle of letters length with me, a perfect stranger. In short, I would recommend buy- “that should not have been given to the ar- 18. White, 175. ing and reading Dr. White’s book, just chives” that “were clear evidence that W. A. 19. Ibid., 183, 329–330 and elsewhere. so long as you also buy Dr. Rushdoony’s Criswell had truly loved another man” when There’ll be no more “studying, debating and commentary on Leviticus25 and read it he “was in his late teens.” True or false, Dr. discussing” because Dr. White regards this White has probably worn out his welcome in parallel with Dr. White’s work. Only as a pointless game that further enables his in Dallas with this highly charged claim? then will you fully appreciate precisely oppressors, as he sees them. This position 11. Ibid., 300–303. “God loves outcasts what is at stake when Christians persist further insulates him for having to defend best.” “When you stand with outcasts, you his handling of various Biblical texts, such in their studied indifference to the law stand with Jesus.” as his homosexual angle on the Roman of God. Luther held that we’re only 12. Ibid., 214. “Actually we have no right to centurion’s servant or the reclining position defending the faith if we’re engaged at make a direct comparison.” Yet he elsewhere of St. John on the Lord’s breast during the the point at which it is actually under writes, “I am convinced that Christian Last Supper (357). Christians will dialogue attack. If so, we can thank Dr. White fundamentalism is a far greater threat to this on the exegesis of the text of any Scripture, for pointing out the critical battle zone country than Muslim terrorists could ever but Dr. White has formally disengaged. This today: the book of Leviticus. May new, be” (213). He poses the question whether comes dangerously close to being a hit- unflagging zeal and love for His Word the “460 fundamentalist Christian leaders and-run on his part, but he hasn’t painted be thereby ignited in us all. gathered on July 4, 1986” who signed the himself in the corner so far that he can’t Manifesto for the Christian Church “commit- reconsider his you’re in the darkness, I’m in Martin G. Selbrede, Vice President of ted treason that day” (250). He gains more the light, I’m not talking anymore, I’m now Chalcedon, lives in Woodlands, Texas. backbone on page 252, directly calling that going to take it to the streets approach (my Martin is the Chief Scientist at Uni-Pixel signing a “treasonous act.” For someone words, not his, although he does talk about Displays, Inc. He has been an advocate for claiming it’s his opponents who make ir- taking it to the streets and “mobilizing acts the Chalcedon Foundation for a quarter responsible statements, such comments are of civil disobedience at the headquarters” of century. disturbingly duplicitous. James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and even the Vatican Embassy, on page 331). Van Til and 1. Rev. Dr. Mel White, Religion Gone Bad: 13. Ibid., 159, 165. “Is it possible that the extremists among them are discussing an Greg Bahnsen have noted how fruitless it is The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right to argue across presuppositional systems, but ultimate solution behind the scenes?” The (New York: Penguin, 2006), 29. disengaging like this means never truly pop- entire chapter on “Fascism: The Politics of 2. Ibid., 174–175. On the multitudinous ping the hood on the other side’s reasoning. Fundamentalism” draws extended point-by- “idolatries” practiced by fundamentalists, see point comparisons between an anti-Semitic 20. Ibid., 181. 169–207. Nazi propaganda film and Christian funda- 21. Ibid., 281. 3. Ibid., 276. Dr. White approvingly cites mentalist tenets. 22. Ibid., 176–177. the London Spectator’s assessment that 14. Ibid., 160. Dr. White regards the term 23. Ibid., 178. Lincoln’s words have “a sacred and almost “absolute values” to mean the institutional- prophetic character,” something Dr. White 24. Ibid., 171. ization of homophobia and any number of denies to much of Scripture. 25. R. J. Rushdoony, Commentaries on the species of xenophobia. 4. Ibid., 257. “When it comes to guiding Pentateuch: Leviticus (Vallecito, CA: Ross 15. Ibid., xiii–xvi. our democracy and running our govern- House Books, 2005). ment, the U.S. Constitution must always 16. Ibid., xv. trump the Bible, because the Constitution 17. Dr. Matson regards himself as a funda- protects our rights to disagree about what mentalist, although he dislikes the label as the Bible says.” Absolutely no one is above being inadequate. He holds to the absolute the law (259)—apparently not even God, authority and inspiration of Scripture, which is in fact the official position of the regards himself as a literalist regarding the U.S. government. Scriptures that speak about homosexual acts 5. Ibid., 241. as a sin, but is not an inerrantist. In his email 6. Ibid., 109. to me, he expressed his dismay that the older of the two convicted murderers “was 7. Ibid., 28. ‘ordained’ as a minister while in jail, after it 8. Ibid., 159, 171. was clear that he had murdered my brother.” 9. Ibid., 109. I am grateful for his willingness to discuss 10. Ibid., 44–45. Dr. Criswell is said to have such a painful circumstance at such great

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 23 Feature Article

Contra Imperium: The Christian Case Against American Imperialism and the Security/Police State

©Tom Rose, 2006

deep division is oc- tacks were allegedly contrived to justify nuclear capability, then America and her Acurring in America. the two-pronged policy of preemptive allies should uphold the president in his It is dividing family foreign war and the establishment of a efforts “to protect our country” against members and friends domestic security/police state. this nuclear threat from radical Islamic into opposing ideologi- Included in the allegations of the leaders. cal camps. The ideologi- first camp is that the present adminis- Perhaps the best way to shed light cal split between previously gracious and tration is being compromised by gross on this divisive subject is first to con- forbearing individuals is caused by two sexual immorality, as in the case of sider foreign imperialism and domestic aspects of growing statism: James Guckert (a.k.a. “Jeff Gannon”), statism in ancient history, and second, First, America’s military expansion the homosexual pornographer who Great Britain, the greatest imperial na- overseas—i.e., imperial hegemony. advertises himself as a male prostitute tion of all times. Second, the domestic growth of what and who had ready access to the White We will then consider the United is known as a security/police state—i.e., House through a White House press States of America to see how our own the domestic program of government pass. More recent is the exposure of country gradually became, though rulers to induce among the populace a pedophiles in Congress, like ex-Florida unrecognized by most Americans, a ready acceptance of the idea of foreign Congressman Mark Foley, who quickly full-fledged imperial state overseas and imperialism through the generation of resigned when the fact of his illicit a corresponding security/police state mass fear coupled with the forceful sup- emails to young male congressional domestically. pression of political dissent. pages was made public. Such moral in- Finally, we will evaluate the double- In one camp are those who claim discretions demonstrate a clear weakness sided problem of foreign imperialism the Bush Administration’s preemptive in political leadership during a time of and domestic statism from a Biblical invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq (and war and national security. perspective. the proposed invasions of Lebanon, The opposing camp argues, “No The issue of building empires, Syria, and Iran) are unconstitutional, way!” They state that President Bush either domestic or foreign, is completely unwise, unnecessary, and do nothing had an “experience” and is a “born- contrary to God’s Word. In man’s first but inflame Islamic hatred of America. again” Christian. They relate that Bush’s world-empire-building attempt, the Some in this camp believe that President political staff, during his first presiden- Tower of Babel, God confused the Bush does not possess true authority. tial campaign, told how Bush allegedly language and dispersed the people They believe that the real power brokers led a young teenager to Christ. There- (Gen. 11:1–9). God’s clear plan for are the war-mongering neoconserva- fore, the president would not engage civil government is for the establish- tives who, in turn, answer to the more in any under-the-table maneuvers ment of small, democratic-republic civil shadowy rulers who seek to meld our for political reasons. They argue that, units, not large, unitary dictator-type American Republic into the internation- instead of opposing President Bush’s units (Exod. 18:13–26). To be Biblical, al “New World Order.” As you might preemptive attacks on Afghanistan and America should abhor foreign posses- have heard, recent surveys reveal that Iraq and his regime-change occupation sions and international entanglements 36 percent of the American population of these countries, Americans should like the United Nations, NAFTA, etc. now believe that the U.S. government support him and the patriotic troops had some hand in the “terrorist” attacks who are protecting America against Imperialism in Ancient History of 9/11—that it was an “inside job.” “Islamic terrorism.” And if future intel- A survey of ancient civilizations—as According to this growing view, these at- ligence indicates that Iran is achieving cited by the Preacher in the book of

24 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life Ecclesiastes—shows “there is no new extending from the hubs of the wheels a formidable military force of 40,000 thing under the sun” (1:9). Accordingly, to slice up opposing foot soldiers. These stalls of horses for chariots and 12,000 it is not surprising to discover that civil awful war chariots generated great fear horsemen (1 Kings 4:20–28). His rulers, from the earliest kingdoms to among the enemy. harem numbered 700 wives and 300 those of the present time, all wielded he- It was during this pro-Semitic rule concubines. Burdensome expenditures gemonic power to expand their borders of the Hyksos in Egypt that Jacob and and impressed labor were used to erect a by land or sea. Generally, the motive to his family migrated to Egypt during grandiose temple and house for Solo- attack other nations was to seize their Joseph’s reign as administrator. After mon (1 Kings 6 & 7). wealth and to gain control of their natu- some time, the Egyptians were able to Under Solomon’s rule, the demo- ral resources, trade routes, or the seas. expel the Hyksos because they adopted cratic republic of the Hebrews was Sometimes the motivation to make the new weapons that were introduced turned into an autocratic empire (“like war on other nations was simply to by the Hyksos invaders. other nations”), which grew fat on eliminate them as competitors in trade. The Hittites wealth and tribute wrested from foreign This was the case in Rome’s long-con- About 1450 B.C., the Hittites es- nations. This was a typical growth-of- tinued attacks on Carthage during three tablished themselves in eastern Asia Mi- empire process that would be followed Punic Wars (264–146 B.C.). “Carthago nor. They had developed an iron metal- by other empires in the future. Gold delenda est!” (“Carthage must be de- lurgy that gave them improved weapons. and riches flowed into Solomon’s em- stroyed!”) was the cry on Rome’s senate Their horse-drawn chariots (inherited pire, but the internal cost to ordinary floor by those who stood to benefit from from the Hyksos) and iron-tipped spears citizens was heavy taxation and the loss war. A similar motivation was behind and swords provided a strong military of individual freedom. Britain’s assaults against Germany lead- advantage and enabled them to expand Eventually, burdensome taxes moti- ing to World War I because the “Brit- their borders and conquer the people of vated the Hebrew people to rebel during ish Crown” feared competition from central Asia Minor. The Hittite Empire the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam Germany’s rapidly expanding industrial included Syria, which had been lost to (1 Kings 12:16). This was a Bibli- capability. them by Egypt. Once again, superior cal/historical instance of the principle What we today call “special in- military technology and the fear it gen- of governmental interposition through terests” were usually behind inciting a erated among the enemy was the key to which God raises up an intermediate pro-war attitude among the public. It imperial expansion. magistrate to rally the people against was so in early history, and it is so today. The Kingdom of Solomon rulers who have turned tyrannical. Even in early history, it was essential for Shortly after 1200 B.C., an invasion Later Empires empire builders to instill in the com- of Indo-European peoples destroyed the The Assyrians, a Semitic people mon people a willingness to sacrifice Hittite Empire. The chief importance of from the upper Tigris, subdued Babylon their lives and the lives of their children the Hittites was the culture they passed in 721 B.C. and gained control of the as “cannon fodder” to expand their on to the Greeks (who settled along the Fertile Crescent (which extends north- country’s imperialistic hegemony. Aegean coast of Asia Minor) and the ward from where the Tigris and Euphra- Here is a summary of key events knowledge of iron metallurgy, which tes Rivers pour into the Persian Gulf, of imperialistic hegemony in ancient later gave the Philistines military domi- westward to the coast of the Mediterra- history: nance over the Israelites during the time nean Sea, and southward to Palestine). The Hyksos of King Saul (1095–1055 B.C.). The offensive strategy of the As- Around 1720 B.C., the Hyksos, a Liberation of the area of Palestine syrian Empire in foreign conquests is Semitic people from Palestine, invaded from the hegemony of competing important to note because similar steps the Delta area of Egypt and made all of empires then allowed the Old Testament were used both by earlier and subse- Egypt tributary. The irresistible power of Israelites to grow and expand under quent empires: the Hyksos came from their temporary the reigns of Kings Saul, David, and 1. The use of superior war-making monopoly of two new weapons of war: Solomon. technology to overwhelm the enemy; the powerful composite bow of wood Solomon established an oriental- in the case of the Assyrians: the much- and horn and the much-feared horse- type, military-based empire similar to feared military chariots, mounted cav- drawn chariot, which had sharp swords others in the Mideast. He maintained alry, and sophisticated siege engines.

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 25 Faith for All of Life 2. A policy of generating terror Octavian Augustus (27 B.C.) At home the common people were among the peoples they attacked. attempted to restore the old Roman vir- mentally conditioned, at great personal 3. A very efficient system of political tues of self-reliance, personal integrity, loss of life and limb, to serve as recruits administration. discipline, and family cohesion; but the in the imperial army and navy. This was 4. Destruction of the national aristocracy, in its moral decadence, was accomplished through government pro- unity of conquered peoples by mass generally unconcerned about the drift of paganda and the willing participation deportations. their country (like our modern Con- of a compliant press that was largely 5. Strong support of the empire’s gress?). In the cities, unemployed mobs, controlled by commercial and financial domestic commercial classes who would long degraded by government-provided special interest groups represented in profit from trading over large areas that free bread and circuses (similar to our Parliament. In this, note the similarity were united by political and economic modern welfare payments and TV?) had to the Senate of the Roman Empire. stability. lost interest in hard work. Later, a steady Blood flowed freely wherever Britain’s Expansion of the Assyrian Empire debauching of Rome’s currency was a hegemony was extended (India, China, was quite successful, but, around 650 telltale sign of its moral, political, and Africa, and elsewhere); immense riches B.C. the ethnic population of Assyria had economic corruption. (A comparable flowed into the coffers of the Crown been so decimated by continued wars decline in purchasing power of the U.S. and members of the ruling elite. that the rulers had to depend on hired dollar has occurred since creation of the Queen Elizabeth had incorporated mercenary troops and levies from the Federal Reserve Bank in 1913!) the English East India Company in nations they conquered. This weakened Earlier empires (the Persian and 1600. This created a monopoly of trade, the empire and enabled Egypt to regain that of Greece), and later empires producing vast wealth for her and other its independence. Also the Medes, an (Byzantium, the Mongol and Ottoman, stockholders. Indo-European people who had estab- and those in India and China), all rose History textbooks downplay two lished themselves on the Iranian plateau through the use of power and fear, and main sources of the Queen’s vast wealth about 1000 B.C., east of Assyria, refused then declined. Generally the pertinent (accumulated tax-free) and of the wealth further tribute. By 625 B.C. the Chal- facts are similar: the lust for land, power, of other empire elites in Britain and deans, who had gradually filtered into and riches at the expense of weaker na- Europe: Babylonia, revolted; and by 612 B.C. the tions; the greedy self-interests of those 1. The opium trade. Tea and Chaldeans and Medes joined to destroy who benefit financially from imperial spices could not possibly generate the Nineveh, the capital. Thus, we see that expansion; and the growth domestically vast income needed to station British empires are built through force and by of freedom-destroying statism. soldiers at the Khyber Pass, only one of inciting fear among the enemy, but are The British Empire many places where imperial troops were themselves eventually destroyed by force. During the fifteenth and sixteenth posted. The Roman Empire was notori- centuries, Portugal, Spain, England, 2. The African slave trade. Britain ous for how members of its Senate France, and the Dutch all expanded joined it in 1503, first to supply cheap conspired to expand Roman hegemony their hegemony internationally. Each labor to her sugar plantations in the for their own personal benefit—money used the rapidly developing technology West Indies, then later (in the 1600s and power—to the eventual ruin of of gunpowder (cannons and small arms) and1700s) to supply cheap labor to the the empire, which reached its zenith to conquer and enslave less-advanced plantation owners in Colonial America. about A.D. 180. The Roman soldiers, nations and to dominate their cultures. Trade in opium and slaves provided who wielded the notorious short sword, Britain’s rise to become the preemi- the foundation for many family fortunes generated great fear and hate among the nent world empire rested on the leading now enjoyed by descendants of the enemy by leaving battlefields strewn with technology she had in arms manufacture British and European royalty, as well decapitated heads, and arms and legs. and shipbuilding. This made her able as for elite families of New England in Today, the same tactic is used via mass to dominate less-advanced countries on America today—though much effort cluster bombing and the use of depleted both land and sea, thereby expanding is made to conceal these dark facts of uranium (which causes deplorable birth her hegemony all over the world. Her history. malformations among the nations under boast was “the sun never sets” on her The Bank of England was founded attack). empire. in 1694 to provide the king with funds

26 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life to pay for foreign wars. The Bank’s In contrast, when the U.S. battle- territorial dispute with Kuwait. It is charter allowed it to charge 8 percent on ship Maine blew up in Havana har- also now well established that many monies loaned to the government and bor on February 15, 1898, President of the atrocities alleged to have been gave the Bank a monopoly for issuing William McKinley, who did not want perpetrated by Iraqi forces in Kuwait are credit-based banknotes on which it hostilities, reluctantly yielded to public fraudulent. These false allegations were could collect interest. Credit financ- pressure stirred up by special interests used to stir up a pro-war attitude among ing made it easier to fund expansion of and a cooperative press. So America the American public. the empire overseas. The Bank is still declared war against Spain, which ceded And, finally, the preemptive attacks located in “the City” of London, an in- Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines on Afghanistan and Iraq were based dependent entity not under the British to the United States, and thereby gained upon faulty intelligence regarding government. effective control of Cuba. This was so-called “weapons of mass destruc- British imperialism reached its America’s great step toward building a tion” and the very questionable events zenith after World War I when Pales- foreign empire. of September 11, 2001. Even today, as tine, Iraq, and large parts of Africa were One immediate effect of our ven- Bob Woodward recently revealed in his designated as her “protectorates” by the ture into empire building was the rebel- book State of Denial, the truth about the League of Nations, which Britain greatly lion of our prior allies in the war, the escalating violence in Iraq is being hid influenced. This allowed Britain to gain Philippine patriots, who demanded self- from Americans. effective control of the rich oil reserves determination. The resulting Philippine In each of these wars, the net result of Arab countries. This set the stage resistance was overcome by American has been a sharply divided public; a sad for the volatile situation we see in the military strength, but it took three years waste of young lives; the centralization Mideast today. Britain also gained effec- and the deployment of 60,000 Ameri- of more government power in Wash- tive control of vast mineral reserves and can troops to put down the rebellion. ington, D.C., especially in the hands other riches in Africa. In subsequent years, America’s for- of the executive branch (a shocking After World War II, the extensive eign entanglements drew us into a long example is Congress’ recent passage in British Empire quickly crumbled, going series of foreign wars, lasting more than early October of the “Detainee Bill,” the way of all empires, as freedom- a century. In each instance, there is suf- which unconstitutionally gives President minded peoples demanded self-determi- ficient evidence suggesting U.S. govern- Bush sole power to determine who is a nation. ment deception of the American people “terrorist combatant”—including even in order to create support for war. American citizens!—and which, also un- America’s Path to Empire America’s engagement in World constitutionally, provides President Bush In 1896 the U.S. Congress passed War I came after the sinking of the retroactively with protection against a resolution to intervene in a rebellion Lusitania, which the Germans accused being accused of the torture of prison- of Cubans against Spain, but President the British of causing in order to bring ers under the Geneva Convention); Grover Cleveland, an anti-imperial- the U.S. into the war. Much has also tremendous increases in taxation and ist, refused to get the U.S. involved. been written about FDR’s inducing the government regulation; persistent mon- When pressured, he declared that if Japanese to attack the naval ships at etary inflation, which causes a steady Congress declared war, he would not, as Pearl Harbor. Also, Truman is alleged to depreciation in the purchasing value of commander-in-chief, issue the neces- have tricked North Korea into attacking the U.S. dollar; and a continued loss of sary order to mobilize the army. Thus, South Korea, thus launching an uncon- individual freedom as citizens are per- Cleveland courageously opposed public stitutional war for America. And it is suaded by political leaders to surrender opinion, which was being stirred up by now a documented fact that LBJ lied to their God-ordained, self-responsibilities special interests who had commercial the American public about the Gulf of to the government. In short, a caretaker ties to Cuba. Earlier, in 1893, Cleve- Tonkin incident—the alleged event that security/police state has developed in land, against strong public opinion, caused an immediate escalation of U.S. America as an inescapable and corre- had stopped the annexation of Hawaii, involvement in Vietnam. sponding part of America’s evolvement which was being engineered by com- In the 1991 war “Desert Storm,” into an empire state internationally. mercial interests in Hawaii who had Iraq invaded Kuwait after being told During each war, freedom of the wrongly deposed Queen Liliuokalani. that the U.S. “had no interest” in Iraq’s people has suffered, never to be wholly

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 27 Faith for All of Life restored, and taxes and government CIA) had to pay Malaysian warriors overseas (and in our own country also), control of the population have continu- with heroin because they would not continue to undermine the Constitu- ally increased. work for money, not even for gold. tion. For instance, the Bush administra- Thus, the OSS operatives made con- tion has been quietly advancing a mas- Evidences ... nection with the international drug sive “NAFTA Super Highway” that will Here are some clear evidences of the cartel that operates through the “Golden run along Interstate 35 from the border growth of American imperialism abroad Triangle” in Asia. Eventually, drugs of Mexico in Texas to the Canadian and the accompanying security/police literally started flowing into America border north of Duluth, Minnesota. state domestically: from the poppy fields of Pakistan and This empire-building scheme will be Burdensome taxes: When civil Afghanistan in Asia and from Columbia an accomplished fact, with no constitu- governments exceed their role in soci- in South America. tional approval, before most Americans ety—their lawless interventions into To counter the incoming flood of become aware of it. the spheres of the home, the church, drugs, the federal government deceit- Fear mongering: Throughout business, and other private associa- fully started the war on drugs, but, history, totalitarian-minded civil rulers tions—their statist programs must be of course, the flood continued. This have created a domestic climate of fear paid for. To wrest needed monies from so-called “war,” through the RICO law, among the general population to make citizens, the IRS has been set up as an resulted in armed SWAT-team raids all them more readily accept Orwellian- “inquisitor” that has power to “undress type regulations and control. Psycho- people financially” every year, and across America and the confiscation of even to make armed raids to confiscate billions of dollars of private property logical control is much more efficient property on claims of nonpayment. owned by innocent people. Many small than using guns. “Foreign enemies” are Today the average American must work operators in the drug scene were arrest- thus the bogeymen whom the people for over six months each year to pay for ed, but no arrests of the major kingpins. are brought to fear. federal, state, and local taxes. Compare Today, most local police departments In the modern case of America, it this with God’s modest tithe of only 10 have been effectively “federalized” by is so-called “Islamic terrorists” that have percent from His people. the FBI, and about 89 percent of local replaced the previous menace of com- Monetary inflation: When citizens police departments now have strongly munism. start complaining about high taxes, civil armed paramilitary units whose main A good example of fear monger- rulers then turn to the easier route of a job is to break into homes unannounced ing is the police-state atmosphere of hidden tax called monetary inflation, on drug searches. Almost 500,000 fear currently surrounding American which gradually siphons off the purchas- American citizens are now in prison airports, supposedly to stop “terror- ing power of people’s money. Since the on drug charges. In 1980 the number ist” hijacking. Most Americans have Federal Reserve Bank was established in imprisoned was 50,000. “bought into” this specious tactic, and 1913, the value of the dollar has steadily Secrecy in government operations: they, like sheep being led to slaughter, plummeted to less than 2 percent! Most Over the years, it has become increas- have been conditioned to continue of this insidious debauchment was ingly difficult for ordinary citizens to exposing themselves to the most degrad- caused by our involvement in foreign discover what politicians and govern- ing forms of personal inspection when wars that we had no valid reason to ment bureaucrats are doing. boarding planes—a clear undermining enter, plus numerous unconstitutional In spite of the Freedom of Infor- of the Fourth Amendment. government programs that forcefully mation Act, citizen inquiry is often New repressive federal agencies: transfer wealth from the pockets of “stonewalled” on the alleged claim that As a result of the psychological fear some citizens to the pockets of oth- “this is a national security issue”; as if so- mongering about 9/11, Congress passed ers. Frederic Bastiat called this process called national security issues were more the constitutional-subverting “Patriot “legalized theft.” crucial than protecting citizens’ consti- Acts” and created the KGB-type, police- The “war on drugs”: President tutionally protected freedoms. Thus, state agency called “Homeland Security” Richard Nixon initiated the war on the domestic web of freedom-destroying (note the Orwellian language). This drugs in 1971. legislation and totalitarian government agency has been given the unconstitu- During WWII, the OSS (the Office programs, as well as the so-called “black tional authority to use outright force to of Strategic Services, forerunner of the flag operations” of covert U.S. agencies destroy Americans’ liberty at the whim

28 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life of the president. Recently, Homeland to eliminate the Seventeenth Amend- tive force in society, not a regulator of Security notified banks that whenever ment thereby reinstituting the election economic activity, but simply a punisher banks are so notified by Homeland of senators by state legislatures; and also of wrongdoers and lawbreakers. Security, bank customers would not be eliminate the income tax and replace Monetary inflation is nothing more allowed to open their safe-deposit boxes it with a head tax paid to the states in than a form of insidious taxation that unless a Homeland Security agent was conjunction with requisitions requested makes it easier for civil rulers to en- present. by the national government, as we had gage in the “legalized theft” process of More than 400 governmental units under the Articles of Confederation. wresting money from some citizens and throughout America (states, cities, and Patrick Henry, a wonderful patriot and giving it to others who happen to be counties) have publicly gone on record believer in decentralized government, favored by the rulers. Money creation by as opposing the so-called “Patriot Act.” said, “I love those requisitions!” because the Federal Reserve to fund government Three cheers! These are acts of govern- they limited the power of the central deficits should be abandoned because it mental interposition. government. is credit-created debt. Also, our system Every statement above is true, and Today, our problem is too-big of fractional banking should be put the list could go on and on; but the im- government, too far from home, and no on a 100-percent-reserve basis to stop portant question is, What are we to do? effective way to choke off funds going banks from creating credit money when extending loans. Savings banks and sav- What Direction Does God Give? to the national government. Eliminat- ing the Seventeenth Amendment and ings and loan associations worked like Solutions to the above-mentioned this successfully for many, many years. problems are readily found by searching restoring the “requisitions” that Patrick Henry so loved would accomplish this. This would end the alleged need for a Scripture because God’s Word is de- central bank to supply a “flexible” mon- signed to guide mankind in how to live Radical? Yes! But radical in the good sense in that the solution cuts to the etary system and to serve as an alleged in a sinful world populated by not only “lender of last resort.” sinful citizens, but especially by sinful very core of the problem. and tyrannically oriented civil rulers (1 To bring it about, Americans must Governmental Interposition Sam. 8). ask, “What is the proper role of civil Government by the people cannot We are to think God’s thoughts (2 government in society according to the function properly unless they know Cor. 10:3–5) in every aspect of our lives Bible?” This is the second-most impor- what is going on behind the scenes and and especially in building our social tant question in life because the answer understand the Constitution. If the false institutions (family, church, businesses will determine whether we live in screen of “national security” continues as and other voluntary organizations, and freedom and self-responsibility to God it is, our country is doomed to succumb civil government). We are created in during this life or as serfs to a central- to the security/police state. We live in God’s very image and likeness; therefore, ized, autocratic government. a very perilous time; and the peril does we have a God-given right to be free, When it comes to burdensome not exist outside of our country in a and we have the responsibility to main- taxes, the solution is clear: God’s gra- fictional cave inhabited by an alleged tain our freedom so that we can stand cious tithe, which is paid voluntarily, is freedom-hating, Islamic member of self-responsible before God, our Creator limited to only 10 percent, for which al-Qaeda. Our real peril exists in high and Lord (Gen. 1:26–28; Exod. 8:1). God promises to bestow His blessings places inside our own country. We ig- What we must do is threefold: think (Mal. 3:10). Any tax levy near 10 per- nore this fact at our peril and at the risk Biblically, think economically, and think cent approaches tyranny, and any levy of what kind of country our children constitutionally. Note the sequence: above that certainly is tyrannical. and grandchildren will be destined to both our economic world and our po- Once again, we must ask, “What is live in. litical world must be made to conform the proper Biblical role of civil govern- What is God’s solution for unseat- to God’s Word. ment in society?” We find the answer ing ungodly rulers who turn tyrannical These United States of America in Romans 13:3–4. Civil government and for replacing them with rulers of have grown beyond the Biblical pattern. is not designed by God to be a transfer His choice? When King Rehoboam re- One way of restoring our Constitutional agent to take money from one citizen fused the people’s petition, it was, “[T]o Republic and eliminating the unitary and transfer it to another citizen (legal- your tents, O Israel”! aspect of our national government is ized theft). Rather, it is to be a nega- continued on page 32

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 29 Guest Column

The Current Trends in the Theonomy Debate Jacob Aitken

. David Gordon ology, and a tri-dimensional critique op- The theonomist would counter that the Tin particular (and posing theonomy on the sufficiency of Bible addresses statecraft in the first five Klineans in general) has Scripture: the latter being defined along books of the Old Testament and Ro- been one of the sharp- philosophical, exegetical, and theologi- mans 13. As to the other part of the re- est critics of theonomy cal lines. I will predominantly focus on duction, it can easily be turned around. in the past years. This the first perspective since I consider Why did modern science develop in evidences a recent trend in Reformed Greg Bahnsen’s approach to covenant Christian cultures? And, mathematics is social theology: to what extent (if any) theology to be in the mainstream of cov- impossible without Trinitarian Christi- is Scripture to speak to social ills with enantal thought (e.g., emphasizing the anity: if there are no universal entities normative commands? continuity between the covenants). that relate to mankind in particular Gordon highlights this view in sev- instances, math is an illusion (which The Argument from Necessity eral articles in major Reformed publica- would be consistent with many Eastern Gordon argues that theonomists tions, including “The Insufficiency of religions). Gentry points out that Gor- Scripture,” Modern Reformation,1 and paint themselves into a corner in saying that the Bible is sufficient for all areas don confuses scientific issues with moral “Critique of Theonomy: A Taxonomy,” ones, statecraft being moral.10 2 of life. If sufficient, then clear. If clear, it Westminster Theological Journal. In each Gordon urges us to remember “the section I will summarize Gordon’s argu- should tell us how. In short, the Bible, according to theonomists, should give nature of the curse on the human race ment and explain what’s at stake in the subsequent to the fall.” The theonomist Reformed camp, while also presenting exhaustive specificity for all things. This it clearly does not do. Therefore, gladly agrees. However, a key compo- Kenneth Gentry’s responses from his nent of Gordon’s worldview is the pref- book Covenantal Theonomy: A Response theonomists are wrong. But theonomist Dr. Kenneth Gentry, for one, points out erence of general revelation over special to T. David Gordon and Klinean Cov- revelation with respect to socio-political enantalism.3 I will not go into much that theonomists do not make the claim that the Bible is exhaustively specific.5 morality. If that is the case, then we of the theonomic debate history. Gary must logically expect a blurring of natu- North has provided that in a series of At the very least, the Bible does give clear political guidance, and this should ral revelation, since we can’t interpret it books, Theonomy: An Informed Response clearly. But where is the clear teaching and Westminster’s Confession. be a key focus in the debate. This is a key weakness in Gordon’s to be found? Romans 2 tells us that the Gordon’s Underlying articles. He says he critiqued theonomy’s work of the law is written on the heart Presupposition main arguments from its main supporter, of all, but Romans 3 builds upon this The underlying presupposition of Greg Bahnsen.6 If so, as Gentry points to say how much more blessed the Jews Gordon’s thought is that the Bible is not out, “[W]hy is this argument for Theon- were for having the written revelation of sufficient for life outside the covenant omy absent from Bahnsen?”7 Also, “This God. community.4 He identifies theonomy is not a philosophical argument from Theonomy as a comprehensive as the “error de jure” of the attempt to Theonomy, contrary to Gordon, but a system is new. Theonomic presupposi- apply God’s Word to society. In this theological implication of the Christian tions are not. They are, as Meredith respect he has clearly and helpfully worldview.”8 Worldviews involve civil Kline candidly admitted, quite confes- defined the ultimate issues at stake. jurisprudence and social matters. By what sional. Theonomy’s attraction is its Gordon tries to show that theono- standard are laws to be judged? commitment to the Bible as a source my is wrong from at least three differ- Gordon’s next question is at the for wisdom and light. We are living in ent perspectives: a taxonomic critique heart of the confusion: “Where does the social decay and watching a civilization (showing the distinctives of theonomy Bible address ... science, medicine, state- die. The world is desperately looking for and critiquing them), Klinean method- craft ... engineers ... mathematicians?”9 an answer.

30 Faith for All of Life | November/December 2006 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life A New Angle on Matthew 5 Ten Commandments, as normative in natural law depends on unexamined in the Theonomy Debate the Christian life and a guide to Chris- presuppositions that are untenable for Matthew 5:17 (“I am not come to tian behavior.13 Reformed Christianity. Besides being destroy, but to fulfil”) is a benchmark Gordon argues that the duties of the fallacious (naturalistic fallacy), natural argument for theonomy and has been in covenant are binding only on the parties law theorists operate from the basis that the forefront of the theonomic debate. of the covenant. If this is true, then it man’s reason has not been sufficiently Most critics of theonomy in response is devastating to theonomy. However, affected by the Fall. But even more, to Matthew 5 simply attempt to rebut Gentry responds that while Israel was natural law theory is unable to do more Bahnsen’s claim that “fulfil” means con- under a “public covenantal obligation than endorse the “status quo.” True, firm “in exhaustive validity.” Gordon to keep the divinely revealed law, the natural law theory does posit itself as advances a different line of argumenta- moral obligations within that covenant transcending the civil magistrate, but it tion. Gordon tries to corner the the- were not uniquely applicable to Israel offers no clear guidance to the magis- onomist into an exegetical trap: if the alone.”14 Another way of replying is trate, nor does it sufficiently limit his Old Testament is indeed binding unless that the Ten Commandments represent powers. Consider, then, this moving God has rescinded it in certain places, the moral law re-published from nature quote by Greg Bahnsen on the necessity then theonomists must also admit that revelation. for a distinctively Christian approach to if the Sinaitic administration remains, politics: Concluding Observations then the prophetic office announcing The alternative to God’s law is not no I would urge theonomists to de- the coming of the Messiah must also law at all, but human law; governments velop more arguments for theonomy remain.11 Gentry rebuts this by show- which do not guard the majesty of God that do not overly depend on Matthew ing that Christ’s teachings are indeed and His righteous law have no alter- 5 (Bahnsen states frequently that the- ethical and not merely eschatological in native and choice but to uphold the onomy doesn’t depend on Matthew 5). character, a point agreed with by almost majesty of their own human authority Also, I would note that the larger debate ... If no higher law is adhered to, then all evangelical commentators, including has now brought in arguments against the law of man is absolute; there is no those who are not theonomic.12 theonomy from multiple angles: the logical barrier to stop such a state from The Argument two-kingdoms theory and natural law. becoming totalitarian. When the state’s from Covenant Theology The two-kingdoms view holds that will is substituted for God’s will, then the only real crimes become crimes One way of discrediting theonomy God rules the church through His right against the state (as in Imperial Rome, is to show its alleged novelty. No one in hand and the secular world through His present day Russia, and much of the the history of the church, it is argued, left hand. The Christian, it is urged, United States), for example, treason, held to a theonomic view of the law and is not to bring matters of religion into defection, and so forth ... There is no covenants; therefore, one ought to be the public square. But as John Frame appeal beyond the state and its rulers highly suspicious of such a movement. rightly notes, “The problem is that the when God’s law is put aside; man has True, theological novelties should be two-kingdom doctrine claims a dual- no realm of justice to which he has embraced only with the utmost reluc- ity, not only between law and gospel as recourse in opposing the will of the tance. However, is theonomy really such, but also in God’s standards, his state ... For Christians the choice is that novel a view? Gordon maintains norms.”15 But an even bigger challenge between a law order based on God or that Bahnsen erred in seeing extreme to theonomy is the renewed interest in the potentially tyrannical oppression of a law order resting in the arbitrary will continuity between the Mosaic covenant “natural law.” As a contemporary natu- and power of the secular state.17 and today, downplaying the discontinui- ral law theorist writes, “Though intellec- ties and the problem of legalism. Along tual fashions change, an objective moral Jacob Aitken is an M.Div. candidate at with that, theonomy is erroneous in that order, knowable by man and within the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, it abstracts the Mosaic covenant from reach of mankind, can be reasonably MS. He is a member of the Orthodox its environment. If true, it would be seen as the most stable basis of personal, Presbyterian Church and is a native of hard to account for the fact that many national, and international order and Monroe, LA. 16 respectable Reformed theologians (Mur- happiness.” 1. T. David Gordon, “The Insufficiency of ray, Dabney, the Westminster divines) Space prevents a thorough rebut- Scripture,” Modern Reformation, January/ viewed the law of God, particularly the tal. In short I would only mention that February 2002.

www.chalcedon.edu November/December 2006 | Faith for All of Life 31 Faith for All of Life

2. T. David Gordon, “Critique of Theono- light and selfish use is something He hates Rose … Imperium cont. from page 29 my: A Taxonomy,” Westminster Theological (Mal. 2:14–16). Journal, 1994. 6. And, yes, we must often use the “rod of The principle in God’s solution to 3. Kenneth Gentry, Covenantal Theonomy: correction” to punctuate the lessons (Prov. tyranny (unconstitutional rule) is called A Response to T. David Gordon and Klinean 22:15). governmental interposition, and it can Covenantalism (Nacogdoches, TX: CMF, be done peacefully. Hodge … Economy cont. from page 11 2005). God has the power to turn rulers’ classical concept of education to music. See 4. Gordon, “The Insufficiency of Scripture,” hearts (Prov. 21:1). First, let us pray for www.readwriteplay.com for details. 18. this. But also, let us remember that there 5. Gentry, 17. 1. R. J. Rushdoony, Institutes of Biblical are many imprecatory prayers in the Bible. They, too, are for our use. God’s 6. Gordon, “Critique of Theonomy,” 24. Law, vol. 1 (Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1973), 453. See a fuller final option is the Biblical principle of 7. Gentry, 24. discussion pp. 496–499. governmental interposition, whose time, 8. Ibid., 26–27. 2. A comprehensive discussion on taxation I believe, has come. May God’s will be 9. Gordon, “Critique of Theonomy,” 26. can be found in Edward A. Powell and R. J. done to the salvation of America and to 10. Gentry, 29ff. Rushdoony, Tithing and Dominion (Valleci- the glory of His Kingdom! 11. Gordon, “Critique of Theonomy,” 29. to, CA: Ross House Books, 1979), especially chaps. IX, X, and XI. Tom Rose is retired professor of economics, 12. Gentry, 56–57. Grove City College, Pennsylvania. He is 3. S. David Young, The Rule of Experts 13. Ibid., 226. author of seven books and hundreds of (Washington, DC: The Cato Institute, articles dealing with economic and political 14. Ibid., 146. 1987). issues. His articles have regularly appeared 15. John Frame, “Law and Gospel” http:// 4. Joseph R. Strayer, On the Medieval in The Christian Statesman, published by the www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/ Origins of the Modern State (Princeton, NJ: National Reform Association, Pittsburgh, 2002Law.htm. Princeton University Press, 1970). PA; and in many other publications. He and 16. Paul M. Weyrich, Future 21: Directions his wife, Ruth, raise registered Barzona cattle for America in the 21st Century, ed. Con- Rushdoony … Babylon cont. from page 15 on a farm near Mercer, PA, where they also naught Marshner (Devin-Adair Publishers, kingdom of man. Christians must reject write and publish economic textbooks for 1984), 129. I am aware that Thomas Aqui- the supposition that politics will succeed use by Christian colleges, high schools and nas advocated some form of civil resistance in building the good life by an economy home educators. Rose’s latest books are Free Enterprise Economics in America and God, derived from his natural law ethic. However, built on debt. Any such dream or Gold and Civil Government. I am not convinced that it follows without economy built on confidence in Federal at least presupposing some form of Biblical Reserve Notes or some other fiat prom- revelation. Natural law just as easily endorses ise of statist men will fall like a millstone the status quo. cast into the sea (Rev. 18:21). 17. Greg Bahnsen, Theonomy in Christian All Babylons will end in failure and Ethics (Nacogdoches, TX: CMF, 2002), 455. God’s judgment. Are you preparing Uttinger … Family cont. from page 8 yourself, despite the economic hardship you will experience, to join the heavenly 2. Paul says much the same thing in Colos- host in crying “Alleluia”? sians 3:18–21—only four verses. 3. Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality 1. For more on this see R. J. Rushdoony, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Thy Kingdom Come (Vallecito, CA: Ross 1971), chap.12. House Books, 2001), especially 189–198. 4. When Sarah called her husband “lord” in 2. For a discussion on Babel, see R. J. Rush- Genesis 18, she did so “within herself,” in doony, Genesis (Vallecito, CA: Ross House her thoughts. Books, 2002), chaps. 24–27. 5. This means that divorce should be a rarity 3. R. J. Rushdoony, The Biblical Philoso- in the Christian church. While God has phy of History (Vallecito, CA: Ross House ordained divorce as a remedy for certain Books), 46–51. terrible sins (Matt. 19:3–9; 1 Cor. 7:15), its

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This raises the key question: is freedom in comprehensive standard to guide itself through and of man or Christ? The Christian art of freedom, that is, the the darkness of the modern age. Very few Christian liberal arts curriculum, is emphatically not the same as the consider the Bible as the rule of conduct, and humanistic one. It is urgently necessary for Christian educators to God has been marginalized by the pluralism of rethink the meaning and nature of the curriculum. our society. Paperback, 190 pages, index, $16.00 $11.20 This 12-part DVD collection contains an in-depth interview with the late Dr. R.J. Rushdoony on the application of God’s law to our modern world. Each commandment is covered in detail as Dr. Rushdoony challenges the Save 30% on everything when you order by Jan. 12, 2007

34 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com The Harsh Truth about Public Schools science and religion. It will serve as a solid refutation for the claim, often By Bruce Shortt. This book combines a sound made in court, that mathematics is one subject, which cannot be taught Biblical basis, rigorous research, straightfor- from a distinctively Biblical perspective. ward, easily read language, and eminently Revised and enlarged 2001 edition, sound reasoning. It is based upon a clear Paperback, 408 pages, $22.00 $15.40 understanding of God’s educational mandate to parents. It is a thoroughly documented description of the inescapably anti-Christian The Foundations of Christian Scholarship thrust of any governmental school system Edited by Gary North. These are essays developing and the inevitable results: moral relativism the implications and meaning of the philosophy (no fixed standards), academic dumbing down, far-left programs, near of Dr. Cornelius Van Til for every area of life. The absence of discipline, and the persistent but pitiable rationalizations chapters explore the implications of Biblical faith offered by government education professionals. for a variety of disciplines. Paperback, 355 pages, indices, $24.00 $16.80 Paperback, 464 pages, $22.00 $15.40

The Victims of Dick and Jane Intellectual Schizophrenia By Samuel L. Blumenfeld. America’s most By R.J. Rushdoony. This book was a resolute call effective critic of public education shows us to arms for Christian’s to get their children out of how America’s public schools were remade the pagan public schools and provide them with by educators who used curriculum to create a genuine Christian education. Dr. Rushdoony citizens suitable for their own vision of a had predicted that the humanist system, based utopian socialist society. This collection of on anti-Christian premises of the Enlightenment, essays will show you how and why America’s could only get worse. He knew that education divorced from God and public education declined. You will see the from all transcendental standards would produce the educational educator-engineered decline of reading skills. disaster and moral barbarism we have today. The title of this book The author describes the causes for the decline is particularly significant in that Dr. Rushdoony was able to identify and the way back to competent education methodologies that will the basic contradiction that pervades a secular society that rejects result in a self-educated, competent, and freedom-loving populace. God’s sovereignty but still needs law and order, justice, science, and meaning to life. Paperback, 266 pages, index, $22.00 $15.40 Paperback, 150 pages, index, $17.00 $11.90 This american history & the constitution The Messianic Character of American Education Independent Republic By R.J. Rushdoony. This study reveals an important By Rousas John Rushdoony. First published in 1964, part of American history: From Mann to the present, this series of essays gives important insight into the state has used education to socialize the child. American history by one who could trace American The school’s basic purpose, according to its own development in terms of the Christian ideas which philosophers, is not education in the traditional gave it direction. sense of the 3 R’s. Instead, it is to promote “democracy” and “equality,” not in their legal or civic sense, but in terms of the engineering of a These essays will greatly alter your understanding socialized citizenry. Public education became the means of creating a of, and appreciation for, American history. Topics social order of the educator’s design. Such men saw themselves and the discussed include: the legal issues behind the War of Independence; school in messianic terms. This book was instrumental in launching the sovereignty as a theological tenet foreign to colonial political thought Christian school and homeschool movements. and the Constitution; the desire for land as a consequence of the belief in “inheriting the land” as a future blessing, not an immediate Hardback, 410 pages, index, $20.00 $14.00 economic asset; federalism’s localism as an inheritance of feudalism; the local control of property as a guarantee of liberty; why federal Mathematics: Is God Silent? elections were long considered of less importance than local politics; By James Nickel. This book revolutionizes the how early American ideas attributed to democratic thought were prevailing understanding and teaching of math. The based on religious ideals of communion and community; and the addition of this book is a must for all upper-level absurdity of a mathematical concept of equality being applied to Christian school curricula and for college students people. and adults interested in math or related fields of Paperback, 163 pages, index, $17.00 $11.90

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 35 American History to 1865 The Nature of the American System Tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. These By R.J. Rushdoony. Originally published in 1965, tapes are the most theologically complete these essays were a continuation of the author’s assessment of early American history previous work, This Independent Republic, and available, yet retain a clarity and vividness examine the interpretations and concepts which of expression that make them ideal have attempted to remake and rewrite America’s for students. Rev. Rushdoony reveals past and present. “The writing of history then, a foundation of American History of because man is neither autonomous, objective philosophical and theological substance. nor ultimately creative, is always in terms of a He describes not just the facts of history, framework, a philosophical and ultimately religious framework in but the leading motives and movements the mind of the historian…. To the orthodox Christian, the shabby in terms of the thinking of the day. incarnations of the reigning historiographies are both absurd and Though this series does not extend beyond 1865, that year marked offensive. They are idols, and he is forbidden to bow down to them the beginning of the secular attempts to rewrite history. There can be and must indeed wage war against them.” no understanding of American History without an understanding of Paperback, 180 pages, index, $18.00 $12.60 the ideas which undergirded its founding and growth. Set includes 18 tapes, student questions, and teacher’s answer key in album. Retreat From Liberty 18 tapes in album, RR144ST-18, A tape set by R.J. Rushdoony. 3 lessons on “The Set of “American History to 1865”, $90.00 $63.00 American Indian,” “A Return to Slavery,” and “The Tape 1 1. Motives of Discovery & Exploration I United Nations – A Religious Dream.” 2. Motives of Discovery & Exploration II 3 cassette tapes, RR251ST-3, $9.00 $6.30 Tape 2 3. Mercantilism 4. Feudalism, Monarchy & Colonies/The Fairfax Resolves 1-8 Tape 3 5. The Fairfax Resolves 9-24 The Influence of Historic Christianity on Early America 6. The Declaration of Independence & By Archie P. Jones. Early America was founded Articles of Confederation upon the deep, extensive influence of Christianity Tape 4 7. George Washington: A Biographical Sketch inherited from the medieval period and the 8. The U. S. Constitution, I Protestant Reformation. That priceless heritage Tape 5 9. The U. S. Constitution, II was not limited to the narrow confines of 10. De Toqueville on Inheritance & Society the personal life of the individual, nor to the Tape 6 11. Voluntary Associations & the Tithe ecclesiastical structure. Christianity positively 12. Eschatology & History Tape 7 13. Postmillennialism & the War of Independence and predominately (though not perfectly) shaped 14. The Tyranny of the Majority culture, education, science, literature, legal Tape 8 15. De Toqueville on Race Relations in America thought, legal education, political thought, law, politics, charity, and 16. The Federalist Administrations missions. Tape 9 17. The Voluntary Church, I $4.20 18. The Voluntary Church, II Booklet, 88 pages, $6.00 Tape 10 19. The Jefferson Administration, the Tripolitan War & the War of 1812 The Future of the Conservative Movement 20. Religious Voluntarism on the Frontier, I Edited by Andrew Sandlin. The Future of the Tape 11 21. Religious Voluntarism on the Frontier, II Conservative Movement explores the history, 22. The Monroe & Polk Doctrines accomplishments and decline of the conservative Tape 12 23. Voluntarism & Social Reform movement, and lays the foundation for a viable 24. Voluntarism & Politics Tape 13 25. Chief Justice John Marshall: Problems of substitute to today’s compromising, floundering Political Voluntarism conservatism. 26. Andrew Jackson: His Monetary Policy Because the conservative movement, despite its Tape 14 27. The Mexican War of 1846 / Calhoun’s Disquisition many sound features (including anti-statism and 28. De Toqueville on Democratic Culture Tape 15 29. De Toqueville on Equality & Individualism anti-Communism), was not anchored in an unchangeable standard, 30. Manifest Destiny it eventually was hijacked from within and transformed into a scaled- Tape 16 31. The Coming of the Civil War down version of the very liberalism it was originally calculated to 32. De Toqueville on the Family combat. Tape 17 33. De Toqueville on Democracy & Power $4.20 34. The Interpretation of History, I Booklet, 67 pages, $6.00 Tape 18 35. The Interpretation of History, II

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36 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com The United States: A Christian Republic Tape 7 9. New Humanism or Medieval Period By R.J. Rushdoony. The author demolishes the modern myth that the Tape 8 10. The Reformation United States was founded by deists or humanists bent on creating a Tape 9 11. Wars of Religion – So Called secular republic. 12. The Thirty Years War Tape 10 13. France: Louis XIV through Napoleon Pamphlet, 7 pages, $1.00 .70¢ Tape 11 14. England: The Puritans through Queen Victoria Tape 12 15. 20th Century: The Intellectual – Scientific Elite Biblical Faith and American History By R.J. Rushdoony. America was a break with the neoplatonic view of The Biblical Philosophy of History religion that dominated the medieval church. The Puritans and other By R.J. Rushdoony. For the orthodox Christian who groups saw Scripture as guidance for every area of life because they grounds his philosophy of history on the doctrine viewed its author as the infallible Sovereign over every area. America’s of creation, the mainspring of history is God. Time fall into Arminianism and revivalism, however, was a return to the rests on the foundation of eternity, on the eternal neoplatonic error that transferred the world from Christ’s shoulders to decree of God. Time and history therefore have man’s. The author saw a revival ahead in Biblical faith. meaning because they were created in terms of God’s perfect and totally comprehensive plan. The Pamphlet, 12 pages, $1.00 .70¢ humanist faces a meaningless world in which he must strive to create and establish meaning. The Christian accepts world history a world which is totally meaningful and in which every event moves in terms of God’s purpose; he submits to God’s meaning and finds his life therein. This is an excellent introduction to Rushdoony. Once A Christian Survey of World History the reader sees Rushdoony’s emphasis on God’s sovereignty over 12 cassettes with notes, questions, all of time and creation, he will understand his application of this and answer key presupposition in various spheres of life and thought. in an attractive album By R.J. Rushdoony. From tape 3: Paperback, 138 pages, $22.00 $15.40 “Can you see why a knowledge of history is important—so that James I: The Fool as King we can see the issues as our Lord By Otto Scott. In this study, Otto Scott writes about presented them against the whole one of the “holy” fools of humanism who worked backboard of history and to see against the faith from within. This is a major the battle as it is again lining up? historical work and marvelous reading. Because again we have the tragic Hardback, 472 pages, $20.00 $14.00 view of ancient Greece; again we have the Persian view—tolerate both good and evil; again we have the Assyrian-Babylonian-Egyptian view of chaos as the source of Christian Reconstruction in England regeneration. And we must therefore again find our personal and A cassette tape series by R.J. Rushdoony, societal regeneration in Jesus Christ and His Word—all things must previously released as English History examines be made new in terms of His Word.” the impact of John Wycliffe, Richard III, Oliver Twelve taped lessons give an overview of history from ancient times Cromwell, and John Milton on English history. to the 20th century as only Rev. Rushdoony could. Text includes 5 cassette tapes, RR135ST-5, $15.00 $10.50 fifteen chapters of class notes covering ancient history through the Reformation. Text also includes review questions covering the tapes and questions for thought and discussion. Album includes 12 tapes, church history notes, and answer key. 12 tapes in album, RR160ST-12, Set of “A Christian Survey of The “Atheism” of the Early Church World History”, $75.00 $52.50 By Rousas John Rushdoony. Early Christians were called “heretics” and “atheists” when they denied Tape 1 1. Time and History: Why History is Important Tape 2 2. Israel, Egypt, and the Ancient Near East the gods of Rome, in particular the divinity of Tape 3 3. Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Jesus Christ the emperor and the statism he embodied in his Tape 4 4. The Roman Republic and Empire personality cult. These Christians knew that Jesus Tape 5 5. The Early Church Christ, not the state, was their Lord and that this 6. Byzantium faith required a different kind of relationship to Tape 6 7. Islam the state than the state demanded. Because Jesus 8. The Frontier Age Christ was their acknowledged Sovereign, they

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 37 consciously denied such esteem to all other claimants. Today the but himself. Because of this impass, modern thinking has become church must take a similar stand before the modern state. progressively pragmatic. This book will lead the reader to understand that this problem of knowledge underlies the isolation and self- Paperback, 64 pages, $12.00 $8.40 torment of modern man. Can you know anything if you reject God and His revelation? This book takes the reader into the heart of The Foundations of Social Order: Studies in modern man’s intellectual dilemma. the Creeds and Councils of the Early Church By R.J. Rushdoony. Every social order rests on a Paperback, 127 pages, indices, $19.00 $13.30 creed, on a concept of life and law, and represents a religion in action. The basic faith of a society means To Be As God: A Study of Modern Thought growth in terms of that faith. Now the creeds and Since the Marquis De Sade councils of the early church, in hammering out By R.J. Rushdoony. This monumental work is a definitions of doctrines, were also laying down the series of essays on the influential thinkers and foundations of Christendom with them. The life of a ideas in modern times. The author begins with society is its creed; a dying creed faces desertion or subversion readily. De Sade, who self-consciously broke with any Because of its indifference to its creedal basis in Biblical Christianity, Christian basis for morality and law. Enlightenment western civilization is today facing death and is in a life and death thinking began with nature as the only reality, and struggle with humanism. Christianity was reduced to one option among many. It was then, in turn, attacked as anti-democratic and anti-freedom for its dogmatic Paperback, 197 pages, index, $16.00 $11.20 assertion of the supernatural. Literary figures such as Shelly, Byron, Whitman, and more are also examined, for the Enlightenment presented both the intellectual and the artist as replacement for the p h i l o s o p h y theologian and his church. Ideas, such as “the spirit of the age,” truth, reason, Romanticism, persona, and Gnosticism are related to the The Death of Meaning desire to negate God and Christian ethics. Reading this book will By Rousas John Rushdoony. For centuries on end, help you understand the need to avoid the syncretistic blending of humanistic philosophers have produced endless humanistic philosophy with the Christian faith. books and treatises which attempt to explain Paperback, 230 pages, indices, $21.00 $14.70 reality without God or the mediatory work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Modern philosophy has sought By What Standard? to explain man and his thought process without By R.J. Rushdoony. An introduction into the acknowledging God, His Revelation, or man’s sin. problems of Christian philosophy. It focuses on God holds all such efforts in derision and subjects the philosophical system of Dr. Cornelius Van Til, their authors and adherents to futility. Philosophers which in turn is founded upon the presuppositions who rebel against God are compelled to abandon meaning itself, for of an infallible revelation in the Bible and the they possess neither the tools nor the place to anchor it. The works of necessity of Christian theology for all philosophy. darkness championed by philosophers past and present need to be This is Rushdoony’s foundational work on exposed and reproved. philosophy. In this volume, Dr. Rushdoony clearly enunciates each major Hardback, 212 pages, index, $14.00 $9.80 philosopher’s position and its implications, identifies the intellectual and moral consequences of each school of thought, and traces the dead-end to which each naturally leads. There is only one foundation. The One and the Many Without Christ, meaning and morality are anchored to shifting sand, By R.J. Rushdoony. Subtitled Studies in the and a counsel of despair prevails. This penetrating yet brief volume Philosophy of Order and Ultimacy, this work provides clear guidance, even for laymen unfamiliar with philosophy. discusses the problem of understanding unity vs. particularity, oneness vs. individuality. “Whether Paperback, 180 pages, index, $18.00 $12.60 recognized or not, every argument and every theological, philosophical, political, or any other The Word of Flux: Modern Man and the exposition is based on a presupposition about Problem of Knowledge man, God, and society—about reality. This By R.J. Rushdoony. Modern man has a problem with presupposition rules and determines the conclusion; the effect is the knowledge. He cannot accept God’s Word about the result of a cause. And one such basic presupposition is with reference world or anything else, so anything which points to the one and the many.” The author finds the answer in the Biblical to God must be called into question. Man, once he doctrine of the Trinity. makes himself ultimate, is unable to know anything Paperback, 375 pages, index, $15.00 $10.50 Save 30% on everything when you order by Jan. 12, 2007

38 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com The Flight from Humanity By R.J. Rushdoony. Subtitled A Study of the Effect of p s y c h o l o g y Neoplatonism on Christianity. Neoplatonism is a Greek philosophical assumption Politics of Guilt and Pity about the world. It views that which is form or spirit By R.J. Rushdoony. From the foreword by Steve (such as mind) as good and that which is physical Schlissel: “Rushdoony sounds the clarion call of (flesh) as evil. But Scripture says all of man fell into liberty for all who remain oppressed by Christian sin, not just his flesh. The first sin was the desire leaders who wrongfully lord it over the souls of to be as god, determining good and evil apart God’s righteous ones.… I pray that the entire from God (Gen. 3:5). Neoplatonism presents man’s dilemma as a book will not only instruct you in the method metaphysical one, whereas Scripture presents it as a moral problem. and content of a Biblical worldview, but actually Basing Christianity on this false Neoplatonic idea will always shift the bring you further into the glorious freedom of faith from the Biblical perspective. The ascetic quest sought to take the children of God. Those who walk in wisdom’s refuge from sins of the flesh but failed to address the reality of sins of ways become immune to the politics of guilt and pity.” the heart and mind. In the name of humility, the ascetics manifested Hardback, 371 pages, index, $20.00 $14.00 arrogance and pride. This pagan idea of spirituality entered the church and is the basis of some chronic problems in Western civilization. Revolt Against Maturity By. R.J. Rushdoony. This is a study of the Biblical Paperback, 66 pages, $5.00 $3.50 doctrine of psychology. The Biblical view sees psychology as a branch of theology dealing with Humanism, the Deadly Deception man as a fallen creature marked by a revolt against A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. Six lessons maturity. present humanism as a religious faith of sinful Hardback, 334 pages, index, $18.00 $12.60 men. Humanistic views of morality and law are contrasted with the Christian view of faith and providence. s c i e n c e 3 cassette tapes, RR137ST-3, $9.00 $6.30

Epistemology: How Do We Know? The Mythology of Science A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. Eleven lessons By R.J. Rushdoony. This book points out the on the discipline largely ignored by the modern fraud of the empirical claims of much modern thinker. Learn how philosophers such as Descartes science since Charles Darwin. This book is about and Camus changed modern thought. See how the religious nature of evolutionary thought, circular reasoning is an unavoidable fact of how these religious presuppositions underlie man’s creaturehood. Understand how modern man is increasingly our modern intellectual paradigm, and how irrational, as witness the “death of god” movement. This is a good they are deferred to as sacrosanct by institutions companion set to the author’s book, The Word of Flux. and disciplines far removed from the empirical sciences. The “mythology” of modern science is its religious devotion 4 cassette tapes, RR101ST-4, $12.00 $8.40 to the myth of evolution. Evolution “so expresses or coincides with the contemporary spirit that its often radical contradictions A History of Modern Philosophy and absurdities are never apparent, in that they express the basic A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. Nine lessons trace presuppositions, however untenable, of everyday life and thought.” In modern thought. Hear a Christian critique of evolution, man is the highest expression of intelligence and reason, Descartes, Berkeley, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Sade, and and such thinking will not yield itself to submission to a God it views Genet. Learn how modern philosophy has been as a human cultural creation, useful, if at all, only in a cultural context. used to deny a Christian world-view and propose a The basis of science and all other thought will ultimately be found in new order, a new morality, and a new man. a higher ethical and philosophical context; whether or not this is seen as religious does not change the nature of that context. “Part of the 8 cassette tapes, RR261ST-8, $21.00 $14.70 mythology of modern evolutionary science is its failure to admit that it is a faith-based paradigm.” Paperback, 134 pages, $17.00 $11.90

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 39 Alive: An Enquiry into the Origin and man and its results. See how class warfare and a social order based Meaning of Life on conflict lead to disaster. This book is essential reading for an By Dr. Magnus Verbrugge, M.D. This study is of understanding of the moral crisis of modern economics and the only major importance as a critique of scientific theory, certain long-term cure. evolution, and contemporary nihilism in scientific Paperback, 144 pages, indices, $18.00 $12.60 thought. Dr. Verbrugge, son-in-law of the late Dr. H. Dooyeweerd and head of the Dooyeweerd Foundation, applies the insights of Dooyeweerd’s Christianity and Capitalism thinking to the realm of science. Animism and By R.J. Rushdoony. In a simple, straightforward style, the Christian humanism in scientific theory are brilliantly discussed. case for capitalism is presented. Capital, in the form of individual and family property, is protected in Scripture and is necessary for liberty. Paperback, 159 pages, $14.00 $9.80 Pamphlet, 8 pages, $1.00 .70¢ Creation According to the Scriptures Edited by P. Andrew Sandlin. Subtitled: A A Christian View of Vocation: Presuppositional Defense of Literal Six-Day The Glory of the Mundane Creation, this symposium by thirteen authors By Terry Applegate. To many Christians, business is is a direct frontal assault on all waffling views a “dirty” occupation fit only for greedy, manipulative of Biblical creation. It explodes the “Framework unbelievers. The author, a successful Christian Hypothesis,” so dear to the hearts of many businessman, explodes this myth in this hard- respectability-hungry Calvinists, and it throws hitting title. down the gauntlet to all who believe they can Pamphlet, 12 pages, $1.00 .70¢ maintain a consistent view of Biblical infallibility while abandoning literal, six-day creation. It is a must reading for all who are observing closely the gradual defection of many allegedly conservative churches biblical studies and denominations, or who simply want a greater grasp of an orthodox, God-honoring view of the Bible. Genesis, Volume I of Commentaries on the Pentateuch Paperback, 159 pages, $18.00 $12.60 By Rousas John Rushdoony. Genesis begins the Bible, and is foundational to it. In recent years, it has become commonplace for both humanists e c o n o m i c s and churchmen to sneer at anyone who takes Genesis 1-11 as historical. Yet to believe in the myth of evolution is to accept trillions of Making Sense of Your Dollars: miracles to account for our cosmos. Spontaneous A Biblical Approach to Wealth generation, the development of something out of By Ian Hodge. The author puts the creation and use nothing, and the blind belief in the miraculous powers of chance, of wealth in their Biblical context. Debt has put the require tremendous faith. Darwinism is irrationality and insanity economies of nations and individuals in dangerous compounded. Theology without literal six-day creationism becomes straits. This book discusses why a business is alien to the God of Scripture because it turns from the God Who the best investment, as well as the issues of debt acts and Whose Word is the creative word and the word of power, avoidance and insurance. Wealth is a tool for to a belief in process as god. The god of the non-creationists is the dominion men to use as faithful stewards. creation of man and a figment of their imagination. They must play Paperback, 192 pages, index, $12.00 $8.40 games with the Bible to vindicate their position. Evolution is both naive and irrational. Its adherents violate the scientific canons they Larceny in the Heart: The Economics of profess by their fanatical and intolerant belief. The entire book of Satan and the Inflationary State Genesis is basic to Biblical theology. The church needs to re-study it By R.J. Rushdoony. In this study, first published to recognize its centrality. under the title Roots of Inflation, the reader sees Hardback, 297 pages, indices, $45.00 $31.50 why envy often causes the most successful and advanced members of society to be deemed Exodus, Volume II of Commentaries criminals. The reader is shown how envious on the Pentateuch man finds any superiority in others intolerable Essentially, all of mankind is on some sort of an and how this leads to a desire for a leveling. exodus. However, the path of fallen man is vastly The author uncovers the larceny in the heart of

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40 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com different from that of the righteous. Apart from Jesus Christ and His the earth could not contain all that could be said, the testimony given atoning work, the exodus of a fallen humanity means only a further by John is “faithful.” descent from sin into death. But in Christ, the exodus is now a glorious Hardback, 320 pages, indices, $26.00 $18.20 ascent into the justice and dominion of the everlasting Kingdom of God. Therefore, if we are to better understand the gracious provisions made for us in the “promised land” of the New Companion tape series to The Gospel of John Covenant, a thorough examination into the historic path of Israel as A cassette series by R.J. Rushdoony. Seventy sermons described in the book of Exodus is essential. It is to this end that this cover John’s entire gospel and parallel the chapters volume was written. in the author’s commentary, The Gospel of John, Hardback, 554 pages, indices, $45.00 $31.50 making this a valuable group Bible study series. 39 cassette tapes, RR197ST-39, $108.00 $75.60 Sermons on Exodus - 128 lectures by R.J. Rushdoony on mp3 (2 CDs), $60.00 $42.00 Save by getting the book and 2 CDs Chariots of Prophetic Fire: Studies in Elijah and Elisha together for only $84.00 $73.50 By R. J. Rushdoony. See how close Israel’s religious failure resembles our own! Read this Leviticus, Volume III of Commentaries to see how the modern Christian is again guilty on the Pentateuch of Baal worship, of how inflation-fed prosperity Much like the book of Proverbs, any emphasis upon caused a loosening of morals, syncretism and a the practical applications of God’s law is readily decline in educational performance. shunned in pursuit of more “spiritual” studies. Books As in the days of Elijah and Elisha, it is once like Leviticus are considered dull, overbearing, and again said to be a virtue to tolerate evil and irrelevant. But man was created in God’s image and condemn those who do not. This book will challenge you to resist is duty-bound to develop the implications of that compromise and the temptation of expediency. It will help you take a image by obedience to God’s law. stand by faith for God’s truth in a culture of falsehoods. The book of Leviticus contains over ninety references to the word holy. The purpose, therefore, of this third Hardback, 163 pages, indices, $30.00 $21.00 book of the Pentateuch is to demonstrate the legal foundation of holiness in the totality of our lives. This present study is dedicated to Romans and Galatians equipping His church for that redemptive mission. By R.J. Rushdoony. From the author’s introduction: “I do not disagree with Hardback, 449 pages, indices, $45.00 $31.50 the liberating power of the Reformation Sermons on Leviticus - interpretation, but I believe that it provides 79 lectures by R.J. Rushdoony on mp3 simply the beginning of our understanding of (1 CD), $76.00 $53.20 Romans, not its conclusion.... Save by getting the book and CD The great problem in the church’s interpretation together for only $96.80 $84.70 of Scripture has been its ecclesiastical orientation, as though God speaks only to the church, and commands only the church. The Lord God speaks in and through His Word to the whole man, to every man, and to every area of life and thought…. The Gospel of John To assume that the Triune Creator of all things is in His word By R.J. Rushdoony. In this commentary the author and person only relevant to the church is to deny His Lordship or maps out the glorious gospel of John, starting from sovereignty. If we turn loose the whole Word of God onto the church the obvious parallel to Genesis 1 (“In the beginning and the world, we shall see with joy its power and glory. This is the was the Word”) and through to the glorious purpose of my brief comments on Romans.” conclusion of Christ’s death and resurrection. Hardback, 446 pages, indices, $24.00 $16.80 Nothing more clearly reveals the gospel than Christ’s atoning death and His resurrection. They Companion tape series to Romans and Galatians tell us that Jesus Christ has destroyed the power of Romans - “Living by Faith” sin and death. John therefore deliberately limits the A cassette series by R.J. Rushdoony. Sixty-three number of miracles he reports in order to point to and concentrate sermons on Paul’s epistle. Use as group Bible on our Lord’s death and resurrection. The Jesus of history is He who study with Romans and Galatians. made atonement for us, died, and was resurrected. His life cannot be 32 cassette tapes, RR414 ST-32, $96.00 $67.20 understood apart from this, nor can we know His history in any other light. This is why John’s “testimony is true,” and, while books filling

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 41 Galatians - “Living by Faith” I Corinthians - “Godly Social Order” A cassette series by R.J. Rushdoony. These nineteen sermons 47 lessons. 25 cassette tapes, RR417ST-25, $75.00 $52.50 completed his study and commentary. II Corinthians - “Godly Social Order” 10 cassette tapes, RR415ST-10, $30.00 $21.00 25 lessons. 13 cassette tapes, RR416ST-13, $39.00 $27.30 I John Hebrews, James and Jude 15 lessons on the first epistle of John, plus a bonus lesson on the By R.J. Rushdoony. There is a resounding call in incarnation. Rev. Rushdoony passed away before he could complete Hebrews, which we cannot forget without going this, his last sermon series. astray: “Let us go forth therefore unto him without 16 lessons. 8 cassette tapes, RR419ST-8, $24.00 the camp, bearing his reproach” (13:13). This is a $16.80 summons to serve Christ the Redeemer-King fully and faithfully, without compromise. Exegetical Sermon Series by Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony When James, in his epistle, says that faith without Galatians - “Heresy in Galatia” works is dead, he tells us that faith is not a mere 10 lessons. 5 cassette tapes, MR100ST-5, $15.00 $10.50 matter of words, but it is of necessity a matter of life. “Pure religion Ephesians – “Partakers of God’s Promise” and undefiled” requires Christian charity and action. Anything 24 lessons. 12 cassette tapes, MR108ST-12, $36.00 $25.20 short of this is a self-delusion. James’s letter is a corrective the church needs badly. Colossians - “The Sufficiency of Christ” Jude similarly recalls us to Jesus Christ’s apostolic commission, 10 lessons. 5 cassette tapes, MR101ST-5, $15.00 $10.50 “Remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the I Timothy – “Right Doctrine and Practice” apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 17). Jude’s letter reminds us 27 lessons. 14 cassette tapes, MR102ST-14, $42.00 $29.40 of the necessity for a new creation beginning with us, and of the inescapable triumph of the Kingdom of God. II Timothy – “Faithfulness and Diligence” 14 lessons. 7 cassette tapes, MR106ST-7, $21.00 $14.70 Hardback, 260 pages, $30.00 $21.00 Titus – “Speak with All Authority” Companion tape series to Hebrews, James 11 lessons. 6 cassette tapes, MR105ST-6, $18.00 $12.60 and Jude Philemon – “For My Son, Onesimus” Hebrew and James - “The True Mediator” 4 lessons. 2 cassette tapes, MR107ST-2, $6.00 $4.20 A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. 48 lessons “Doers of the Word” - Sermons in James Hebrews and James. 7 lessons. 4 cassette tapes, MR104ST-4, $12.00 $8.40 26 cassette tapes, RR198ST-26, $75.00 $52.50

Jude - “Enemies in the Church” t h e o l o g y A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. 4 lessons on Jude by R.J. Rushdoony. 2 cassette tapes, RR400ST-2, $9.00 $6.30 Systematic Theology (in two volumes) By R. J. Rushdoony. Theology belongs More Exegetical Tape Series by Rev. R.J. Rushdoony in the pulpit, the school, the workplace, Exodus - “Unity of Law and Grace” the family and everywhere. Society as 125 lessons. 70 cassette tapes, RR171ST-70, $195.00 $136.50 a whole is weakened when theology is neglected. Without a systematic Leviticus - “The Law of Holiness and Grace” application of theology, too often people 79 lessons. 40 cassette tapes, RR172ST-40, $120.00 $84.00 approach the Bible with a smorgasbord Numbers - “Faith, Law and History” mentality, picking and choosing that which pleases 63 lessons. 38 cassette tapes, RR181ST-38, $102.00 $71.40 them. This two-volume set addresses this subject in order to assist in the application of the Word of God to every area of life and thought. Deuteronomy - “The Law and the Family” Hardback, 1301 pages, indices, $70.00 per set 49.00 110 lessons. 63 cassette tapes, RR187ST-63, $168.00 $117.60 The Sermon on the Mount 25 lessons. 13 cassette tapes, RR412ST-13, $39.00 $27.30

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42 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com Companion tape series to R. J. Rushdoony’s systematic perspectives. The author defends predestination from Systematic Theology the perspective of Martin Luther, showing he was as vigorously These tape series represent just a few of the many topics represented predestinarian as John Calvin. At the same time, the author provides a in the above work. They are useful for Bible study groups, Sunday compellingly systematic theological understanding of predestination. Schools, etc. All are by Rev. R. J. Rushdoony. This book will give the reader a fuller understanding of the sovereignty of God. Creation and Providence 17 lessons. 9 cassette tapes, RR407ST-9, Paperback, 314 pages, $24.00 $16.80 $27.00 $18.90 The Lordship of Christ The Doctrine of the Covenant By Arend ten Pas. The author shows that to limit Christ’s 22 lessons. 11 cassette tapes, RR406ST-11, work in history to salvation and not to include lordship is $33.00 $23.10 destructive of the faith and leads to false doctrine. The Doctrine of Sin Booklet, 29 pages, $2.50 $1.75 22 lessons. 11 cassette tapes, RR409ST-11, $33.00 $23.10 The Doctrine of Salvation The Church Is Israel Now 20 lessons. 10 cassette tapes, RR408ST-10, $30.00 $21.00 By Charles D. Provan. For the last century, Christians have been told that God has an The Doctrine of the Church unconditional love for persons racially descended 30 lessons. 17 cassette tapes, RR401ST-17, $45.00 $31.50 from Abraham. Membership in Israel is said to be The Theology of the Land a matter of race, not faith. This book repudiates 20 lessons. 10 cassette tapes, RR403ST-10, $30.00 $21.00 such a racialist viewpoint and abounds in Scripture references which show that the blessings The Theology of Work of Israel were transferred to all those who accept 19 lessons. 10 cassette tapes, RR404ST-10, $30.00 $21.00 Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Doctrine of Authority Paperback, 74 pages, $12.00 $8.40 19 lessons. 10 cassette tapes, RR402ST-10, $30.00 $21.00 The Guise of Every Graceless Heart Infallibility and Interpretation By Terrill Irwin Elniff. An extremely important By Rousas John Rushdoony & P. Andrew Sandlin. and fresh study of Puritan thought in early The authors argue for infallibility from a distinctly America. On Biblical and theological grounds, presuppositional perspective. That is, their Puritan preachers and writers challenged the arguments are unapologetically circular because autonomy of man, though not always consistently. they believe all ultimate claims are based on one’s $4.90 beginning assumptions. The question of Biblical Hardback, 120 pages, $7.00 infallibility rests ultimately in one’s belief about the character of God. They believe man is a creature The Great Christian Revolution of faith, not, following the Enlightenment’s humanism, of reason. By Otto Scott, Mark R. Rushdoony, R.J. Rushdoony, They affirm Biblical infallibility because the God Whom the Bible John Lofton, and Martin Selbrede. A major reveals could speak in no other way than infallibly, and because the work on the impact of Reformed thinking on Bible in which God is revealed asserts that God alone speaks infallibly. our civilization. Some of the studies, historical Men deny infallibility to God not for intellectual reasons, but for and theological, break new ground and provide ethical reasons—they are sinners in rebellion against God and His perspectives previously unknown or neglected. authority in favor of their own. The authors wrote convinced that Hardback, 327 pages, $22.00 $15.40 only by a recovery of faith in an infallible Bible and obedience to its every command can Christians hope to turn back evil both in today’s The Necessity for Systematic Theology church and culture. By R.J. Rushdoony. Scripture gives us as its underlying unity a unified Paperback, 100 pages, $6.00 $4.20 doctrine of God and His order. Theology must be systematic to be true to the God of Scripture. Predestination in Light of the Cross Booklet (now part of the author’s Systematic Theology), By John B. King, Jr. This book is a thorough 74 pages, $2.00 $1.40 presentation of the Biblical doctrine of absolute predestination from both the dogmatic and

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 43 Keeping Our Sacred Trust Tithing and Dominion Edited by Andrew Sandlin. The Bible and the By Edward A. Powell and R.J. Rushdoony. God’s Kingdom covers all Christian Faith have been under attack in one way things in its scope, and its immediate ministry includes, according or another throughout much of the history of the to Scripture, the ministry of grace (the church), instruction (the church, but only in recent times have these attacks Christian and homeschool), help to the needy (the diaconate), and been perceived within the church as a healthy many other things. God’s appointed means for financing His Kingdom alternative to orthodoxy. This book is a trumpet activities is centrally the tithe. This work affirms that the Biblical blast heralding a full-orbed, Biblical, orthodox requirement of tithing is a continuing aspect of God’s law-word and Christianity. The hope of the modern world is not cannot be neglected. This book is “must reading” as Christians work a passive compromise with passing heterodox fads, but aggressive to take dominion in the Lord’s name. devotion to the time-honored Faith “once delivered to the saints.” Hardback, 146 pages, index, $12.00 $8.40 Paperback, 167 pages, $19.00 $13.30 Salvation and Godly Rule Infallibility: An Inescapable Concept By R.J. Rushdoony. Salvation in Scripture includes By R.J. Rushdoony. “The doctrine of the infallibility of Scripture can in its meaning “health” and “victory.” By limiting be denied, but the concept of infallibility as such cannot be logically the meaning of salvation, men have limited the denied. Infallibility is an inescapable concept. If men refuse to ascribe power of God and the meaning of the Gospel. infallibility to Scripture, it is because the concept has been transferred Paperback, 512 pages, indices, $35.00 $24.50 to something else. The word infallibility is not normally used in these transfers; the concept is disguised and veiled, but in a variety of ways, infallibility is ascribed to concepts, things, men and institutions.” A Conquering Faith By William O. Einwechter. This monograph takes Booklet (now part of the author’s Systematic Theology), on the doctrinal defection of today’s church 69 pages, $2.00 $1.40 by providing Christians with an introductory treatment of six vital areas of Christian doctrine: The Incredible Scofield and His Book God’s sovereignty, Christ’s Lordship, God’s law, the By Joseph M. Canfield. This powerful and fully documented study authority of Scripture, the dominion mandate, and exposes the questionable background and faulty theology of the the victory of Christ and His church in history. This man responsible for the popular Scofield Reference Bible, which did easy-to-read booklet is a welcome antidote to the much to promote the dispensational system. The story is disturbing humanistic theology of the 21st century church. in its historical account of the illusive personality canonized as a Booklet, 44 pages, $8.00 $5.60 dispensational saint and calls into question the seriousness of his motives and scholarship. Noble Savages: Exposing the Worldview Paperback, 394 pages, $24.00 $16.80 of Pornographers and Their War Against Christian Civilization The Will of God or the Will of Man In this powerful book Noble Savages (formerly By Mark R. Rushdoony. God’s will and man’s will are both involved in The Politics of Pornography) Rushdoony man’s salvation, but the church has split in answering the question, demonstrates that in order for modern man to “Whose will is determinative?” justify his perversion he must reject the Biblical doctrine of the fall of man. If there is no fall, the Pamphlet, 5 pages, $1.00 .70¢ Marquis de Sade argued, then all that man does is normative. Rushdoony concluded, “[T]he world will soon catch up taking dominion with Sade, unless it abandons its humanistic foundations.” In his conclusion Rushdoony wrote, “Symptoms are important and sometimes very serious, but it is very wrong and dangerous to Christianity and the State treat symptoms rather than the underlying disease. Pornography By R.J. Rushdoony. This book develops a Biblical is a symptom; it is not the problem.” What is the problem? It’s the view of the state against the modern state’s philosophy behind pornography — the rejection of the fall of man humanism and its attempts to govern all spheres that makes normative all that man does. Learn it all in this timeless of life. classic. Hardback, 192 pages, indices, $18.00 $12.60 Paperback, 148 pages, $18.00 $12.60

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44 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com Toward a Christian Marriage soon and solve all their problems. But the rapture did not come, and Edited by Elizabeth Fellerson. The law of God makes clear how our nation only slid further into sin. important and how central marriage is. God the Son came into the God’s people must be taught how to fight and win the battles ahead. In world neither through church nor state but through a family. This this small volume, you will discover how the church is God’s armory, tells us that marriage, although nonexistent in heaven, is, all the designed by Him to equip and train His people for spiritual war and same, central to this world. We are to live here under God as physical prepare them for victory. creatures whose lives are given their great training-ground in terms of the Kingdom of God by marriage. Our Lord stresses the fact that Booklet, 83 pages, $6.00 $4.20 marriage is our normal calling. This book consists of essays on the importance of a proper Christian perspective on marriage. Dominion-oriented tape series by Rev. R.J. Rushdoony Hardback, 43 pages, $8.00 $5.60 The Doctrine of the Family The Theology of the State 10 lessons that also form part of the author’s 2- A tape series by R.J. Rushdoony. 37 lessons that are also from a volume Systematic Theology. portion of Rev. Rushdoony’s 5 cassette tapes, RR410ST-5, $15.00 $10.50 2-volume Systematic Theology. Christian Ethics 14 cassette tapes, RR405ST-14, $42.00 $29.40 8 lessons on ethics, change, freedom, the Kingdom of God, dominion, and understanding the future. Roots of Reconstruction 8 cassette tapes, RR132ST-8, $24.00 $16.80 By R.J. Rushdoony. This large volume provides all of Rushdoony’s The Total Crown Rights of Christ the King Chalcedon Report articles from the beginning in 1965 to mid-1989. 6 lessons on victory and dominion. These articles were, with his books, responsible for the Christian 3 cassette tapes, CN103ST-3, $9.00 $6.30 Reconstruction and theonomy movements. Hardback, 1124 pages, $20.00 $14.00 Tape series by Rev. Douglas F. Kelly Reclaiming God’s World A Comprehensive Faith 3 lessons on secularism vs. Christianity, restoration in the church, Edited by Andrew Sandlin. This is the surprise and revival. Festschrift presented to R.J. Rushdoony at his 3 cassette tapes, DK106ST-3, $9.00 $6.30 80th birthday celebration in April, 1996. These essays are in gratitude to Rush’s influence and elucidate the importance of his theological and eschatology philosophical contributions in numerous fields. Contributors include Theodore Letis, Brian Thy Kingdom Come: Studies in Daniel Abshire, Steve Schlissel, Joe Morecraft III, Jean- and Revelation Marc Berthoud, Byron Snapp, Samuel Blumenfeld, Christine and By R.J. Rushdoony. First published in 1970, Thomas Schirrmacher, Herbert W. Titus, Owen Fourie, Ellsworth this book helped spur the modern rise of McIntyre, Howard Phillips, Joseph McAuliffe, Andrea Schwartz, David postmillennialism. Revelation’s details are Estrada-Herrero, Stephen Perks, Ian Hodge, and Colonel V. Doner. Also often perplexing, even baffling, and yet its main included is a forward by John Frame and a brief biographical sketch meaning is clear—it is a book about victory. It tells of R. J. Rushdoony’s life by Mark Rushdoony. This book was produced us that our faith can only result in victory. “This as a “top-secret” project by Friends of Chalcedon and donated to Ross is the victory that overcomes the world, even our House Books. It is sure to be a collector’s item one day. faith” (1 John 5:4). This is why knowing Revelation is so important. It Hardback, 244 pages, $23.00 $16.10 assures us of our victory and celebrates it. Genesis 3 tells us of the fall of man into sin and death. Revelation gives us man’s victory in Christ over sin and death. The vast and total victory, in time and eternity, set The Church as God’s Armory forth by John in Revelation is too important to bypass. This victory By Brian Abshire. What if they gave a war and is celebrated in Daniel and elsewhere, in the entire Bible. We are not nobody came? In the great spiritual battles of the given a Messiah who is a loser. These eschatological texts make clear last century, with the soul of an entire culture at that the essential good news of the entire Bible is victory, total victory. stake, a large segment of the evangelical church went AWOL. Christians retreated into a religious Paperback, 271 pages, $19.00 $13.30 ghetto, conceding the world to the Devil and hoping anxiously that the rapture would come

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For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com 45 Thine is the Kingdom: A Study of the Postmillennial Hope b i o g r a p h y Edited by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. Israel’s misunderstanding of eschatology eventually Back Again Mr. Begbie destroyed her by leading her to reject the The Life Story of Rev. Lt. Col. R.J.G. Messiah and the coming of the Kingdom Begbie OBE of Heaven. Likewise, false eschatological This biography is more than a story of the three speculation is destroying the church today, by careers of one remarkable man. It is a chronicle of leading her to neglect her Christian calling a son of old Christendom as a leader of Christian and to set forth false expectations. In this revival in the twentieth century. Personal history volume, edited by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., the reader is presented with shows the greater story of what the Holy Spirit can a blend of Biblical exegesis of key Scripture passages, theological and does do in the evangelization of the world. reflection on important doctrinal issues, and practical application for $16.80 faithful Christian living. Paperback, 357 pages, $24.00 Thine is the Kingdom lays the scriptural foundation for a Biblically- based, hope-filled postmillennial eschatology, while showing j o u r n a l s what it means to be postmillennial in the real world. The book is both an introduction to and defense of the eschatology of victory. Chapters include contemporary writers Keith A. Mathison, The Journal of Christian Reconstruction William O. Einwechter, Jeffrey Ventrella, and Kenneth L. Gentry, The purpose of the Journal is to rethink every area Jr., as well as chapters by giants of the faith Benjamin B. Warfield of life and thought and to do so in the clearest and J.A. Alexander. This work should prove immensely helpful for possible terms. The Journal strives to recover the understanding and defending the postmillennial hope. It should also great intellectual heritage of the Christian Faith and is a leading dispenser of Christian scholarship. enliven our prayer to God as we faithfully pray: “Thy kingdom come, Save even thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…. thine is the kingdom Each issue provides in-depth studies on how the more on the JCRs and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Christian Faith applies in modern life. A collection 50%+30%= of the Journal constitutes a reference library of Paperback, 260 pages, $22.00 $15.40 seminal issues of our day. 80% off until Jan. 12th God’s Plan for Victory By R.J. Rushdoony. An entire generation of victory- minded Christians, spurred by the victorious Vol. 1, No. 1: Symposium on Creation - SOLD OUT!! postmillennial vision of Chalcedon, has emerged Geological, mathematical, philosophical, biological, theological and to press what the Puritan Fathers called “the other approaches to the subject of creation. $13.00 Crown Rights of Christ the King” in all areas of modern life. Central to that optimistic generation Vol. 1, No. 2: Symposium on Satanism is Rousas John Rushdoony’s jewel of a study, God’s Occultism from the days of the early church to the present, its Plan for Victory (originally published in 1977). meaning, and the Christian perspective. $13.00 $2.60 The founder of the Christian Reconstruction movement set forth Vol. 2, No. 1: Symposium on Christian Economics in potent, cogent terms the older Puritan vision of the irrepressible Medieval, Reformation, and contemporary developments, the causes advancement of Christ’s kingdom by His faithful saints employing the of inflation, Manichaenism, law and economics, and much more. entire law-Word of God as the program for earthly victory. $13.00 $2.60 Booklet, 41 pages, $6.00 $4.20 Vol. 2, No. 2: Symposium on Biblical Law What Scripture tells us about law, the coming crisis in criminal Eschatology investigation, pornography, community, the function of law, and A 32-lesson tape series by Rev. R.J. Rushdoony. much more. $13.00 $2.60 Learn about the meaning of eschatology for Vol. 3, No. 1: Symposium on Christianity and the American everyday life, the covenant and eschatology, Revolution - SOLD OUT!! the restoration of God’s order, the resurrection, The Christian root, the religious liberty issue, the Franklin legends, the last judgment, paradise, hell, the second myths and realities of 1776. $13.00 coming, the new creation, and the relationship of eschatology to man’s duty. Vol. 5, No. 1: Symposium on Politics Modern politics is highly religious, but its religion is humanism. 16 cassette tapes, RR411ST-16, $48.00 $33.60 This journal examines the Christian alternative. $13.00 $2.60

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46 For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com Vol. 5, No. 2: Symposium on Puritanism and Law infallible truth as handed down through generations in the words The Puritans believed in law and the grace of law. They were not and texts of the human language. We have both God’s perseverance antinomians. Both Continental and American Puritanism are studied. and man’s stewarding responsibility at issue when considering the $13.00 $2.60 preservation of truth in the text and words of the human language. This symposium examines the implications of this for both sacred Vol. 7, No. 1: Symposium on Inflation and secular writings. $13.00 $2.60 Inflation is not only an economic concern but at root a moral problem. Any analysis of economics must deal also with the theological and moral aspects as well. $13.00 $2.60 Vol. 13, No. 1: Symposium on Change in the Social Order This volume explores the various means of bringing change to a Vol. 8, No. 1: Symposium on Social Action social order: revolution, education and economics. It also examines The Christian mission is to every area of life, including the social how Christianity, historically and doctrinally, impacts the social structures, and hence all areas are to be brought under Christ’s order and provides practical answers to man’s search from meaning domain. $13.00 $2.60 and order in life. It concludes with a special report on reconstruction Vol. 8, No. 2: Symposium on the Atonement - SOLD OUT!! in action, which highlights the work of Reconstructionists at the At the heart of our Faith is the doctrine of the atonement. This has grassroots level. $13.00 $2.60 tremendous implications for all of life. This is more than a church Vol. 13, No. 2: Symposium on the Decline and Fall of the West and doctrine; it is impossible for man to live without atonement, but all the Return of Christendom too often the atonement we seek is a false one. $13.00 In addition to discussing the decline and fall of the West and the Vol. 9, No. 1 & 2: Symposium on Christian Reconstruction in the return of Christendom, this volume describes the current crisis, Western World Today - SOLD OUT!! constitutional law, covenant religion vs. legalism, and the implications (Special Double Issue) Christian Reconstruction is under way today of a Christian world and life view. $13.00 $2.60 in the church, in politics, in science, the arts, daily living, and many Vol. 14, No. 1: Symposium on Reconstruction in the Church other areas. In this issue, there are reports on what is happening, as and State well as on critical issues which face us and require reconstruction. The re-emergence of Christian political involvement today is $19.00 spurred by the recognition not only that the Bible and Christian Vol. 10, No. 1: Symposium on the Media and the Arts Faith have something to say about politics and the state, but that Christian reconstruction cannot be accomplished without expanding they are the only unmoveable anchor of the state. The articles in this the Christian presence and influence in all branches of the media and symposium deal with the following subjects: the reconstructive task, the arts. $13.00 $2.60 reconstruction in the church and state, economics, theology, and philosophy. $13.00 $2.60 Vol. 10, No. 2: Symposium on Business This issue deals with the relationship of the Christian Faith to the Vol. 14, No. 2: Symposium on the Reformation world of business. $13.00 $2.60 This symposium highlights the Reformation, not out of any polite antiquarian interest, but to assist our readers in the re- Vol. 11, No. 1: Symposium on the Reformation in the Arts Christianization of modern life using the law of God as their and Media instrument. This symposium contains articles dealing with history, Christians must learn to exercise dominion in the area of the arts and theology, exegesis, philosophy, and culture. $13.00 $2.60 media in order to fulfill their mandate from the Lord. Also included in this issue is a long and very important study of the Russian Orthodox Vol. XV: Symposium on Eschatology Church before the Revolution. $13.00 $2.60 Eschatology is not just about the future, but about God’s working in history. Its relevance is inescapable. $19.00 $3.80 Vol. 11, No. 2: Symposium on the Education of the Core Group Christians and their children must again become a vital, Vol. XVI: The 25th Anniversary Issue determinative core group in the world. Education is an essential Selected articles from 25 years of the Journal by R.J. Rushdoony, prerequisite and duty if this is to be accomplished. $13.00 $2.60 Cornelius Van Til, Otto Scott, Samuel L. Blumenfeld, Gary North, Greg Bahnsen, and others. $19.00 $3.80 Vol. 12, No. 1: Symposium on the Constitution and Political Theology To understand the intent and meaning of the Constitution it is necessary to recognize its presuppositions. $13.00 $2.60 Vol. 12, No. 2: Symposium on the Biblical Text and Literature The God of the Bible has chosen to express Himself by both oral and written means. Together these means represent the sum total of His revelation. This symposium is about the preservation of original,

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Name E-mail • Payment must accompany all orders. We do not bill. Street Address Daytime Phone* • Foreign orders: Pay by check payable in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank, City State Country Zip Master Card, Visa, Discover, American Express, or money order in U.S. Dollars. Method of Payment: ❑ Check ❑ Money Order ❑ Visa ❑ Master Card ❑ Amex ❑ Discover • Prices subject to change without notice. • Make checks payable to Chalcedon. Card Number Exp. Date* • Credit card orders may be phoned or faxed to the numbers above.

Signature* *Required for credit card orders

For Faster Service Order Online at www.ChalcedonStore.com