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The Dangers of Kingdom Ethics: Theonomy, Progressive Dispensationalism, and Social-Political Ethics

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The Dangers of Kingdom Ethics: Theonomy, Progressive Dispensationalism, and Social-Political Ethics THE DANGERS OF KINGDOM ETHICS: THEONOMY, PROGRESSIVE DISPENSATIONALISM, AND SOCIAL-POLITICAL ETHICS BY BRUCE A. BAKER, PhD Candidate Pastor, Washington County Bible Church Brenham, TX Copyright © 2014 by Bruce A. Baker All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ iii THE NEED AND PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY ............................................................. 1 Theonomy and Progressive Dispensationalism ............................................ 1 The Interdependence of Theology .......................................................... 2 The Current Ethical Milieu ....................................................................... 3 Purpose of this Paper ........................................................................................ 5 SOCIOPOLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD ........................... 6 An Uneasy Conscience ...................................................................................... 6 The New Evangelical Perspective .................................................................... 11 Covenant Theology .................................................................................... 13 Covenant Premillennialism and Progressive Dispensationalism ....... 14 Theological Implications of an Inaugurated-Kingdom ................................ 19 Social and Political Redemption in the Inaugurated-Kingdom .......... 19 Separation of Church and State ............................................................... 23 Evaluation of Inaugurated-Kingdom Political Action .................................. 25 Understanding the Argument .................................................................. 25 William Wilberforce’s Political Theory .......................................... 29 Things Old ........................................................................................... 34 Things New ......................................................................................... 37 The Nature of Law ...................................................................................... 40 A Contemporary Occidental Perspective ............................................... 43 An Incomplete Understanding of Justice ............................................... 46 iii An Inconsistent Understanding of the Kingdom .................................. 49 SOCIO-POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND THE LAW ................................................. 58 The Problem of the Law .................................................................................... 58 Discontinuity Positions ..................................................................................... 61 Continuity Positions .......................................................................................... 62 Non-Theonomic Reformed Understanding of the Law ........................ 63 The Relationship between the Biblical Covenants ....................... 63 Relationship of the Church to the Body Politic ............................. 66 Evaluation ........................................................................................... 68 Exegetical Concerns ................................................................... 68 Cultural Accommodation? ........................................................ 70 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 74 Theonomic Understanding of the Law ................................................... 74 The Abiding Character of God .......................................................... 74 Historic Continuity ............................................................................ 75 The Divine Authority of Government ............................................. 77 Evaluation ........................................................................................... 78 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 80 CONCLUSIONS REGARDING SOCIO-POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT ........................... 80 Progressive Dispensationalism and Theonomy ............................................ 80 The Missing Element ......................................................................................... 81 Concluding Remarks.......................................................................................... 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................... 84 iv THE NEED AND PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY Theonomy and Progressive Dispensationalism Currently, it seems only those who see any religious activity in the public square as evidence of an impending theocracy would link any form of dispensationalism with reconstructionism. Douthat observes, When the evidence for Rusdoonian infiltration of the Religious Right grows thin for even the most diligent decoder, the subject is usually changed to the Rapture, another supposed pillar of the emerging theocratic edifice. Premillennarian dispensationalism’s emphasis on the imminent collapse of all institutions, foreign and domestic, would seem an odd fit with Reconstructionism’s idea of hastening Christ’s coming by building his (political) kingdom on Earth. But every 1950s conspiracist knew that when Communists seemed to differ—Tito and Stalin, Stalin and Mao—it only concealed a deeper concord. Similarly, everyone on the Christian Right is understood to be on the same side, no 1 matter their superficial disagreements. While it is certainly true that “everyone…is on the same side” and that some disagreements between dispensationalists and reconstructionists are “superficial,” it must also be stressed 2 that there are vast differences between the two, admittedly Christian and fundamental, camps. Yet recent movements in dispensationalism have made the association of these two groups less alarmist than it first appears. The fundamental shift in underlying assumptions 3 that took place in the formation of progressive dispensationalism has now made such a 1 Ross Douthat, “Theocracy, Theocracy, Theocracy,” First Things, August/September 2006, 26. 2 The use of the word “fundamental” in this context is intended to imply an adherence to the historic fundamentals of the faith, not the religious movement that began as a reaction against modernism in the early part of the last century. 3 Progressive Dispensationalism is widely recognized to have begun on November 20, 1986 at the first annual meeting of the Dispensational Study Group of the Evangelical Theological Society. For a synopsis of the early meetings of the Dispensational Study Group see Ronald T. Cutter, “Dispensational Study Group: An Introduction,” Grace Theological Journal 10 (Spring 1989): 123–24. 2 linkage, not only possible, but logically necessary. Indeed, an examination of the changing relationship between theonomy and progressive dispensationalism is prudent for several reasons. The Interdependence of Theology “Like every true science, Systematic Theology is interdependent and interrelated in 4 all its parts.” While this observation by Chafer was intended to convey the necessity of an 5 “unabridged” theology, the truth of this statement is not limited to this topic alone. Since Systematic Theology does not utilize “individual texts in isolation from one another,” but instead attempts to “coalesce the varied teachings into some type of harmonious or coherent 6 whole,” one must not view individual doctrines as complete in and of themselves, but rather understand them as part of a network or web of related truths. Therefore, one should expect that when one strand of the web is pulled, there will be movement throughout the rest of the web as well. 4 Lewis Sperry Chafer, “Prolegomena” in Systematic Theology, vol. one (Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1947–48; reprint, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1993), 11. 5 “The astronomer or chemist would not attempt to organize his materials or to reach dependable conclusions with a third of the elements or facts pertaining to his science unaccounted for. Nor should the theologian expect to reach any true estimation of his various doctrines when vast fields of the divine revelation have been eliminated from his consideration. Theologians, more than any other scientists, are apt to be bound by tradition or mere sectarian prejudice. The field of investigation is no less than the entire Bible, which field extends beyond the boundaries of creeds and that limited body of truth which was recovered in the Reformation. Published systems of theology too often omit the dispensational program of God; the Pauline revelation concerning the church which is Christ’s body; the entire field of life truth; Angelology with satanology and demonology; prophecy, which occupies more than one-fifth of the text of the Scriptures; typology; and the present ministry of Christ in heaven. Considering the interdependent and interrelated character of theological doctrine, the theologian, having eliminated all or any part of this great field of revelation, cannot hope to hold truth in its right perspective or to give to it its right emphasis. The aim of every theologian should be to hold the entire divine revelation in a true balance of all its parts and free from fads and inaccuracies.” Ibid., 11-12. 6 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, unabridged one vol. edition (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1985), 21. 3 Understanding the far-reaching consequences of any new doctrinal formulation
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